[curtain]

Quote:

Definitely agree on the source aspect. For those also into photography, you can have a great full-frame Canon 5D mk II lets say, but unless you stick L glass in front of it, your output won't get the most possible out of the sensor. 
 


 
 

 
Perhaps, but you're not gaining a directly proportional $1000 worth of value either, so hyperbole needs to be kept in check. This is especially evident with Leica which I also find proponents being especially guilty of (and I'm an avid owner)
 
Quote:

Okay, I spent some time with 4 local head-fiers today comparing the LCD-3s & LCD-2s, R10s, HD800s and HE-6 prototypes.  LCD-2 v. LCD-3 -- My general impressions are that the LCD-3s are definitely better than the LCD-2s, but it is close.  I think the LCD-3s sounded a little more lush, rich & involving than the LCD-2s.  On some tracks however that approach didn't really work and the LCD-2s ended up working better.  Like the original LCD-2, I found that the LCD-3 didn't really change all that much scaling with higher end equipment.  They sounded great from low-end stuff and great from high-end stuff.  The Apache powered them nicely, but so did the Objective2 amp.  At one point I went back and forth between the LCD-3 on the Objective2 and the LCD-2 off an Apache and preferred the LCD-3 off the Objective2.  Both were fed off the same source, 840C as transport & Havana as the DAC.  

It's refreshing to read this. I think people need to be careful when building a system, that's granted, but they also need to be careful that they are not drifting into some sort of discussion where if they say it often enough, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I have no doubt the LCD-3's are an improvement. What I do doubt is the value of the repetitive nature of the "high end to bring out the best" mantra which seems to be surrounding the LCD 3 discussion here. Sure $1000 dollars has been added to the price, but I also think that adding $1000's to the rest of your system would no doubt improve any headphone. The point is, be sure that you aren't really hearing LCD3 dollar signs here.

 

[Currawong]

I've had similar experiences with the LCD-3s in that, despite having a frequency response almost the same as my pair of LCD-2s, my usage preferences changed. Those lush tubes I had in the Stacker II that were too relaxed for the LCD-2s were suddenly perfect for the LCD-3s.
 
Since I was comparing them to the Stax SR-009s though, I do feel that the LCD-3s deliver more detail and note texture than the LCD-2s, but it took the best of what I own to reveal this. This was not apparent with the other equipment I have here (such as an amp someone said was roughly comparable to the Lyr in capability, which, if true, then I can say I know where you guys are coming from). Though it's rather captain obvious, overall, I reckon the LCD-2s are going to be better value for most people and the LCD-3s a better match for those with TOTL amps and DACs who want the greater refinement, such as myself. IMO all this of course, but I reckon for that extra $1k to be worth it, it'll need a system capable of making it so.

 

[googleli]

Currawong, we seldom agree on things although we have the same headphones (LCD3 and SR009). This time is the first time I agree whole heatedly with you. One really needs high end gear - not just high end, but with the right synergy - to make the LCD3 shine.

 

[Rumbleripper]

HI Everyone:
 
I have an order in for the LCD-3 that I placed last week. Does anyone know the wait time for Audeze to ship out the headphones? I how its not the 3+months that it took to get my LCD-2's.
 
 

 

[paulchiu]

i am expecting mine this week
i ordered last month
 
Quote:

HI Everyone:
 
I have an order in for the LCD-3 that I placed last week. Does anyone know the wait time for Audeze to ship out the headphones? I how its not the 3+months that it took to get my LCD-2's.
 
 

 
 

 

[Rumbleripper]

Thanks for the info Paulchiu.
So we are looking at a 6-8 week wait? When did you order last month, beginning or end of month?
 
 

 

[paulchiu]

11/11/11
 

 
Quote:

Thanks for the info Paulchiu.
So we are looking at a 6-8 week wait? When did you order last month, beginning or end of month?
 
 

 
 

 

[DarknightDK]

I didn't realize there was a waiting time now for new LCD-3 orders. I ordered mine when it first got released and received it within 4 days.

 

[dminches]

Quote:

Currawong, we seldom agree on things although we have the same headphones (LCD3 and SR009). This time is the first time I agree whole heatedly with you. One really needs high end gear - not just high end, but with the right synergy - to make the LCD3 shine.

While I agree in part to what you are saying, I listened to the LCD-3s for the first time at the Canjam with a mid-line Eddie Current amp and a sub-par Sony multi-disc player and I felt even in that setup they were wonderfully detailed and uncolored and also far superior to the LCD-2s, which I really liked before.  Having said that, I am sure I am getting much more out of them with my Leben and AVA DAC.
 

 

[Rumbleripper]

Thanks for the info.
I had sent in a couple of emails to Audeze for a heads up on shipping times/dates, and they have not responded to any of them. They must really be busy with getting them out.
Looking forward to hearing them and comparing to my LCD-2 R1's.
 
 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

  I think I read an earlier post about LCD-3 making music sound like live music in a room with poor acoustics, and that's a pretty good representation of how I felt about the LCD-3. 

That was my description of the resonance in the LCD-2 rev1 that is not present (or at least much less present) in the LCD-3.  So I should clarify.  I'm talking about an echo effect, like you can hear the instrument bouncing off the walls a little bit- like a slight tunnel effect.  This is what the midrange glare on the LCD-2 sounded like to me.  And I say glare because it sounded like a layer over the midrange that I so desperately wanted to peel off because I liked other aspects of the headphone a lot, which I could hear underneath this glare, but which I couldn't really get to at all. 
 

 

[Elysian]

Quote:

That was my description of the resonance in the LCD-2 rev1 that is not present in the LCD-3 I don't think....  So I should clarify.  I'm talking about an echo effect, like you can hear the instrument bouncing off the walls a little bit- like a slight tunnel effect.  This is what the midrange glare on the LCD-2 sounded like to me.  And I say glare because it sounded like a layer over the midrange that I so desperately wanted to peel off because I liked other aspects of the headphone a lot, which I could hear underneath this glare, but which I couldn't really get to at all. 

Hmm, I see.  I haven't heard the LCD-2.1, but the effect you're describing sounds different than what I got with the LCD-3.
 
I didn't hear an echo effect with the LCD-3, but there was a strange coloration to all the sounds.  It sounded like everything was both emphasized and rounded off at the same time.  I could hear everything, but I couldn't place the instruments as easily as I could with the Stax, and notes didn't seem to hang in the air in the way I'm used to (which I why I made a room acoustics reference, as I sometimes hear that same effect with classical and rock music in rooms with weird dampening for the floors and walls).
 
I will try to listen for the glare next time I run across either LCD-2.  I can't get past this veil I hear on both the LCD-2.2 and LCD-3, and it sounds like there's some sort of layer over all the music.  It makes some music sound good and other music not so good.  I'd hardly call either headphone uncolored.  Maybe it was an amping issue (we were using a Gilmore Lite w/ DPS), but 'colored' is one of the last associations I make with Kevin Gilmore designs.
 
I'd like to try pairing the LCD-3 with an interesting tube amp, and rather than shooting for absolute neutrality, attempt a more lush, colored sound.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Hmm, I see.  I haven't heard the LCD-2.1, but the effect you're describing sounds different than what I got with the LCD-3.
 
I didn't hear an echo effect with the LCD-3, but there was a strange coloration to all the sounds.  It sounded like everything was both emphasized and rounded off at the same time.  I could hear everything, but I couldn't place the instruments as easily as I could with the Stax, and notes didn't seem to hang in the air in the way I'm used to (which I why I made a room acoustics reference, as I sometimes hear that same effect with classical and rock music in rooms with weird dampening for the floors and walls).
 
I will try to listen for the glare next time I run across either LCD-2.  I can't get past this veil I hear on both the LCD-2.2 and LCD-3, and it sounds like there's some sort of layer over all the music.  It makes some music sound good and other music not so good.  I'd hardly call either headphone uncolored.  Maybe it was an amping issue (we were using a Gilmore Lite w/ DPS), but 'colored' is one of the last associations I make with Kevin Gilmore designs.
 
I'd like to try pairing the LCD-3 with an interesting tube amp, and rather than shooting for absolute neutrality, attempt a more lush, colored sound.

Agreed that the GLite is not a coloured amp, but it does lack the power to properly drive the LCD-2/3s. Then there's your source to consider as well.
 

 

[Elysian]

We tried various digital filters on the Berkeley Alpha via a Wavelength WaveLink converter.  I highly doubt source was problematic.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

We tried various digital filters on the Berkeley Alpha via a Wavelength WaveLink converter.  I highly doubt source was problematic.

Then the GLite (which by the way I really did not like with the LCD-2s) could have been the issue. If you prefer a "hyper or uber reality" headphone, the Audeze sound is not ideal to your preferences. I would suggest you look into the HD800s.