[varyV]

Quote:

That might be it too. The LD MKVI+ is a good solution for the HD800s, but I'm not too sure about the LCD-2/3.

The HD800 sounds absolutely ethereal on the MKVI+, even on the stock tubes. The LCD sounds great too, perhaps a little syrupy when compared to the Soloist (from memory), just not in the same league as the Senns. I'm getting better tubes soon, so I'd be able to discern better. Also thinking about picking up a Yulong A18 to go with the dac. Lets see how that goes...from what I've read, the HD800 were instrumental in tuning these, so things may still play out in their favor.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

The HD800 sounds absolutely ethereal on the MKVI+, even on the stock tubes. The LCD sounds great too, perhaps a little syrupy when compared to the Soloist (from memory), just not in the same league as the Senns. I'm getting better tubes soon, so I'd be able to discern better. Also thinking about picking up a Yulong A18 to go with the dac. Lets see how that goes...from what I've read, the HD800 were instrumental in tuning these, so things may still play out in their favor.

That's the issue with LCD-2/3s with tube amps. As the LCD-Xs are purely resistive loads, they need steady high amounts of current to sound their best, something that SS amps have over tube amps (generally speaking).

 

[varyV]

Quote:

That's the issue with LCD-2/3s with tube amps. As the LCD-Xs are purely resistive loads, they need steady high amounts of current to sound their best, something that SS amps have over tube amps (generally speaking).

I was listening to some Joanna Newsom recordings (as opposed to some soundtracks and classical pieces which have held my interest for the last few days) and I was finally devoted to listening for a while before making a decision on a headphone/genre. The 800 excels at classical/ OSTs, but the LCD3 can still bring the thunder to live recordings. I suppose I'll keep them both for now and the Stax dream will have to wait for later. C'est la ******* vie !

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I was listening to some Joanna Newsom recordings (as opposed to some soundtracks and classical pieces which have held my interest for the last few days) and I was finally devoted to listening for a while before making a decision on a headphone/genre. The 800 excels at classical/ OSTs, but the LCD3 can still bring the thunder to live recordings. I suppose I'll keep them both for now and the Stax dream will have to wait for later. C'est la ******* vie !

Two fantastic complimentary headphones!

 

[varyV]

Quote:

Two fantastic complimentary headphones!

I still terribly itch to hear the Staxs. Just gives me more incentive to visit family in the "Great White North", so I can have a listen (note: family doesn't hold as much value ).
 
 
The headphones do (they really do ).

 

[preproman]

Quote:

That might be it too. The LD MKVI+ is a good solution for the HD800s, but I'm not too sure about the LCD-2/3.

 
 
I thought the LD MK VIII SE was the solution for high impedance headphones and the LD MKVI+ was good for orthos or hard to drive headphones.  

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
 
I thought the LD MK VIII SE was the solution for high impedance headphones and the LD MKVI+ was good for orthos or hard to drive headphones.  

Not so much with the LCD-2/3s. I think they're best suited for ss amps IME.

 

[rgs9200m]

Just to note here, I've been going thru my Time Life Motown cd box set with my LCD3s and it's pure bliss. As someone noted, there is this thunderous but at the same time controlled and
subjectively deeply uniquely satisfying bass, along with beautifully defined vocals and just-right highs. The LCD3s  really define what I think is meant by a "musical" sound.
 
It is so un-analytic but still with more than enough fine detail. Every aspect of the sound (frequencies, impact, dynamics, texture) just seems in perfect balance.
Although I am a multi-phone guy, I could easily live with these as my one phone if I had to. 
 
Just a preference, but I tend to turn them up more to get the best out of them, but it's easy to do with these because the retain their composure extremely well.
 
And the comfort is fine too; even though my head is a bit wide, I just bent the headband a bit and now, to me, they beat the HD800s in comfort, especially with the nice thick pads.
And I love the Moon Silver Dragon/Furutech connector Audeze headphone cable. It really gets the highs/upper mids just right-- not to forward or recessed-- just perfect and well rounded.

 

[analog'd]

Quote:

Just to note here, I've been going thru my Time Life Motown cd box set with my LCD3s and it's pure bliss. As someone noted, there is this thunderous but at the same time controlled and
subjectively deeply uniquely satisfying bass, along with beautifully defined vocals and just-right highs. The LCD3s  really define what I think is meant by a "musical" sound.
 
It is so un-analytic but still with more than enough fine detail. Every aspect of the sound (frequencies, impact, dynamics, texture) just seems in perfect balance.
Although I am a multi-phone guy, I could easily live with these as my one phone if I had to. 
 
Just a preference, but I tend to turn them up more to get the best out of them, but it's easy to do with these because the retain their composure extremely well.
 
And the comfort is fine too; even though my head is a bit wide, I just bent the headband a bit and now, to me, they beat the HD800s in comfort, especially with the nice thick pads.
And I love the Moon Silver Dragon/Furutech connector Audeze headphone cable. It really gets the highs/upper mids just right-- not to forward or recessed-- just perfect and well rounded.

what you said - all of it. the only thing i'm reaching for my hd800s for so far is classical. but i could live with the lcd3 as my single pair easily.
 
can you compare the sound of the silver dragon/furutech to the audeze cable?

 

[rgs9200m]

The Silver Dragon gives the mids/lower highs (especially vocals) more ease, but not all all rolled off, a neat trick, so even a strong powerful singer doesn't
push forward or scream or get shrill, it just stays what for me sounds very natural in the mix.
Also, the bass has a bit more nice detail.
And overall, there is an improvement in image boundaries, just the right amount of image definition w/o sounding like artificially sharp edges.
It's a great cable and does these similar sonic improvements on the HE500s. 
I actually tried other cables on the Audezes and the Silver Dragons were the champ.

 

[analog'd]

thanks so much for yor reply

 

[Saraguie]

Quote:

got my new driver LCD3s from fedex a couple of hours ago. right outta the box these are extremely different than the drivers I was listening to in the pair i bought used, which had a dec 2012 date on the chart. hugely more transparent , wider soundtage/better imaging, tighter and faster, bass and mids like steamers (come with clear liquid and butter!). The old drivers only hinted at most of what I'm describing. Thanking the Gods and Godesses that a channel went as I would never have heard how good they can be - and I would have sold them. these will have to be pried from my hands when i'm gone. now i know why so many have called them desert isle headphones. these are the best headphones i've ever heard, and by a LONG way too. hot damn! worth every penny.

I received mine the last week of Dec. 12' and thought/think they are the bomb. Now that I read your post.........how can I tell? Can anyone else who received their pair around Dec. comment? Does Alex or someone from Audeze read this thread? Please, if so....comment.

 

[varyV]

Quote:

I received mine the last week of Dec. 12' and thought/think they are the bomb. Now that I read your post.........how can I tell? Can anyone else who received their pair around Dec. comment? Does Alex or someone from Audeze read this thread? Please, if so....comment.

 
I suppose the only reliable way to determine that is to do an A/B with another pair. There will be differences with pairs from even the same batch, just hard to believe that the variation could be night and day. I know Audeze has an acceptable margin of deviation, but wide differences in sound and clarity should not happen.

 

[Meremoth]

Quote:

got my new driver LCD3s from fedex a couple of hours ago. right outta the box these are extremely different than the drivers I was listening to in the pair i bought used, which had a dec 2012 date on the chart. hugely more transparent , wider soundtage/better imaging, tighter and faster, bass and mids like steamers (come with clear liquid and butter!). The old drivers only hinted at most of what I'm describing. Thanking the Gods and Godesses that a channel went as I would never have heard how good they can be - and I would have sold them. these will have to be pried from my hands when i'm gone. now i know why so many have called them desert isle headphones. these are the best headphones i've ever heard, and by a LONG way too. hot damn! worth every penny.

 
All these posts are starting to freak me out a lil bit.  
 
I'm on the verge of getting the LCD-3's, but all these current problems are holding me back from pulling the trigger. 
 
I have no way of auditioning a pair, nor do I have much experience with what really good headphones sound like, so if I got a bad pair of LCD-3's, I would have no idea whether my expectations were too high, or if the pair I received are tainted.  
 
Ultimately I would like to purchase a pair from someone who has listened to a "bad" pair of LCD-3's, and a 100% fully functioning pair, that knows the difference, that could test listen to them first before they sent them out.
 
I'm starting to wonder how many people have a bad pair and don't even know it. 

 

[MacedonianHero]

I've had mine since Nov. 2011 and never had a problem. I sent them back last year to be updated to the newest version (for free...thanks Audeze). I've also owned the LCD-2 r.1 and r.2, never had an issue with either one.