[Argo Duck]

Interesting. I asked Arnaud & Purrin a couple of months ago if the veiling could be a speed issue.
 
Ardilla's just posted "Anybody regret" question is most apt; I suppose meaning does anybody regret the sound of the returned pair? I'd like to know the answer too.
 
Am beginning to think the LCD3 might be worth buying...
 
Quote:

<snip>
 
I think, as Gurubhai and Purrin have guessed elsewhere, that the unveiled pairs have more diaphragm tension, which means it is moving faster with less range of motion, making them sound more transparent, faster, with less but tighter bass.  And with this additional tension there is less need for damping to force the driver to move and function properly.  So they removed the outer layer of felt and replaced it with light foam for resonance control and to cover the holes in the grill. 

 

 

[Radio_head]

Just got off the line with Sankar.  Here's what he had to say about the whole pad situation:
 
LCD-2 pads were die cut individually.  Theoretically, they could have more variation between pads.
 
With the LCD-3 pads, they were all made in one batch, automatically molded - as such, he was flabbergasted (not his own word choice) by the differences reported.  He tried replicating and in controlled conditions the pads reacted the same to pressure.  According to Sankar, the only possible variable is the stitching is still done manually - pads could theoretically be stitched tighter or looser around the stuffing, although he checked and couldn't find differences.
 
As to the suction effect (which seems to be described by a few hear and has been bothersome to me) he said you could try out the standard LCD-2 pads or the vegan pads as firmer alternatives.  There is a trade-off - he said he'd have to check his notes again, but from memory as the seal isn't as good with these pad alternatives there would be a higher roll-off in the bass.  
 
I'm going to try out two different pairs of LCD-2 pads (rev 1 and rev 2) as well as another new set of LCD-3 pads.  Hopefully there will be a point where comfort is addressed with minimum sacrifice to the sound.  I know of at least one other local with the LCD-3 (some would call it a "cherry-picked" pair), so maybe we can collaborate on getting similar results as well.  I'm really trying to avoid The Great Attractor that is Stax in hope of spending my tax returns on something useful.  
 
In case Audeze ever reads this train wreck of a thread, I appreciate Sankar taking the time for my nitpicking with what are niggling issues on an all-around great headphone.

 

[ardilla]

Which thread approaching 5000 posts isn't
 
- Nice info BTW
 
Quote:

... In case Audeze ever reads this train wreck of a thread....

 

 

[M-13]

Who will be the lucky winner of a free LCD-3?
 
Quote:

Which thread approaching 5000 posts isn't

 

 

 

[FrenchChemist]

Quote:

Anybody regretted sending their pair in? 
 


 

Certainly not me! Although I paid a heavy price (150 €/$200

) to ship my pair back to Audeze. Even with my modest setup (Audiophilleo2 + Bifrost + Lyr with excellent tubes) the improvement is impressive: now it's a tie with my HD800 and choosing one instead of the other has more to do with pairing strength/weakness with the music genre than any technical consideration for me, which is a relief as the LCD-3 cost me twice the price of the HD800

. And I know I've only listened to a small part of the real potential of those 2 HP as the Lyr is certainly the limiting factor in my chain

. I don't have my LCD-2 r1 anymore to compare but from memory and IMOHO the improved soundstage, speed, "plankton" (if I got what Purrin meant

) and treble extension are worth the price increase while the veiled pair was not.
 
Rhythmdevils, I hope you will listen to them soon because I think you will like them more than the LCD-2r1 or the Focal Spirit One

 

[rhythmdevils]

I hope so.  I like ksc-75's more than the 2Rev1.  The 2Rev2 however, is a pretty great headphone if you get a good one. 

 

[HK_sends]

     Quote:

Anybody regretted sending their pair in? 

Not no, but Heck NO!

  I am completely bowled over by the changes in these.  I have played my favorite music through a variety of amps and headphones for years, and there were some tracks by bands like "The Moody Blues" and "The Alan Parson's Project" that always sounded muddy and mushed together.  But this weekend, after listening for several hours using several different tubes in my Lyr, I am still awed by how much that "mud" turned into layers of detail so refined, I could identify individual instruments that were playing in the "cacophony" as well as their positions and apparent spacing.  I used to think it was due to poor recordings, but not anymore...

 
I swear I have to re-listen to every track I own, because this "tweak" by Audeze turned these LCD-3s into a different animal entirely.  As a disclaimer, the previous headphones I mentioned were various Sennheiser, Grado, AKG, Beyer, and the LCD-2 rev1, rev2, and "unfixed" LCD-3s.  All the Audeze were using the same audio chains.
 
There may be better cans out there, but these truly are the best I have ever heard.
 
Fanboy?  I am now!

Cheers!

-HK sends
 
 

 

[Saintly]

Quote:

     Quote:
Not no, but Heck NO!

  I am completely bowled over by the changes in these.  I have played my favorite music through a variety of amps and headphones for years, and there were some tracks by bands like "The Moody Blues" and "The Alan Parson's Project" that always sounded muddy and mushed together.  But this weekend, after listening for several hours using several different tubes in my Lyr, I am still awed by how much that "mud" turned into layers of detail so refined, I could identify individual instruments that were playing in the "cacophony" as well as their positions and apparent spacing.  I used to think it was due to poor recordings, but not anymore...

 
I swear I have to re-listen to every track I own, because this "tweak" by Audeze turned these LCD-3s into a different animal entirely.  As a disclaimer, the previous headphones I mentioned were various Sennheiser, Grado, AKG, Beyer, and the LCD-2 rev1, rev2, and "unfixed" LCD-3s.  All the Audeze were using the same audio chains.
 
There may be better cans out there, but these truly are the best I have ever heard.
 
Fanboy?  I am now!

Cheers!

-HK sends
 
 

 
What were the various Sennheisers and Beyers?
 
 

 

[HK_sends]

     Quote:

 
What were the various Sennheisers and Beyers?

The cans I listened to (and actually owned) were: Beyers DT880 600ohm, AKG K701 and K702, Sennheiser PX-200, HD280, HD380, HD555, HD598, and HD650 (and, just for completeness, Grado SR-80, SR-225, SR-325i, RS-1, and HF-2).  Understanding that the audio chain did vary for most of the cans, the LCD's all used the same equipment.
 
Cheers!

-HK sends


 
 

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

     Quote:
Not no, but Heck NO!

  I am completely bowled over by the changes in these.  I have played my favorite music through a variety of amps and headphones for years, and there were some tracks by bands like "The Moody Blues" and "The Alan Parson's Project" that always sounded muddy and mushed together.  But this weekend, after listening for several hours using several different tubes in my Lyr, I am still awed by how much that "mud" turned into layers of detail so refined, I could identify individual instruments that were playing in the "cacophony" as well as their positions and apparent spacing.  I used to think it was due to poor recordings, but not anymore...

 
I swear I have to re-listen to every track I own, because this "tweak" by Audeze turned these LCD-3s into a different animal entirely.  As a disclaimer, the previous headphones I mentioned were various Sennheiser, Grado, AKG, Beyer, and the LCD-2 rev1, rev2, and "unfixed" LCD-3s.  All the Audeze were using the same audio chains.
 
There may be better cans out there, but these truly are the best I have ever heard.
 
Fanboy?  I am now!

Cheers!

-HK sends
 
 

If you like the Moody Blues you should try some of the SACD versions. I'm big Moody's fan (since the 70s) and I can't get over how natural and compelling the sound is. Only some albums are available, and you have to be careful you are not just getting
a special edition that is not true DSD. (Although the special editions are nice in their own right with unreleased versions of songs that are great and worth having). Try Days of Future Past, 7th Sojourn, A Question of Balance. I've got these and love them.
Better than vinyl to me.
 

 

[HK_sends]

     Quote:

If you like the Moody Blues you should try some of the SACD versions. I'm big Moody's fan (since the 70s) and I can't get over how natural and compelling the sound is. Only some albums are available, and you have to be careful you are not just getting
a special edition that is not true DSD. (Although the special editions are nice in their own right with unreleased versions of songs that are great and worth having). Try Days of Future Past, 7th Sojourn, A Question of Balance. I've got these and love them.
Better than vinyl to me.
 

Thanks, I will!  I did get the Days of Future Past in 24/96 (or 192, I don't remember) from HDTracks.  I haven't had a chance to try that with the "fixed" LCD-3 yet...I need to pop some Lorenz 3-mica tubes into my Lyr first.

 
Cheers!

-HK sends

 
 

 

[YtseJamer]

Quote:

     Quote:
 
There may be better cans out there, but these truly are the best I have ever heard.

 
X2, I'm still floored by the sound quality! 

 
 

 

[MuppetFace]

Got word from Fed-Ex that my RMA'd LCD-3s are on their way back home. That was quite a fast turn-around time: about four business days, give or take. Anxious to hear how they sound now.

 

[DarknightDK]

Quote:

Got word from Fed-Ex that my RMA'd LCD-3s are on their way back home. That was quite a fast turn-around time: about four business days, give or take. Anxious to hear how they sound now.

Same here. I was surprised by the quick turnaround time given that the headphones only arrived a couple of days ago. 

 

[Hiyono]

I just got my pair back today ^^.  They sound better then before.  I'll let them burn in more while I go out.  Audeze told me that after they replace the drivers they let it burn in with their systems that plays all sorts of signals for few days.