[Arniesb]

I guess the LCD 4's spoiled you  

Different strokes for different folks... Never had pleasure to listen anything from Audeze above LCD2, but that one was super boring sounding. Bass was not boring att all but mids and highs was super boring, slow and lacked any sparkle. LCD 4 is said to be similar sounding, but better technically so same boring sound i guess. From anything i read Only Utopia strikes perfect balance with just small downside. Small soundstage.

 

[guguplex]

  I guess the LCD 4's spoiled you  

 
Yes, maybe you are right. 

But IMHO the enjoyment starts with extended bass, follows with natural mids and ends with no piercing and/or analitical treble. Well ... the LCD-4 are not perfect of course, I know that, (which headphones are?) but for me music is fun and the LSD-4 give me just that, a lot of fun and that is important for me.  I know it`s not a good idea to say that the HD 800S are boring just here in this thread but I do not intend to be aggressive at all. I respect and understand all people enjoying the HD 800S, in fact I own them.

 

[Cruxiaer]

   
Yes, maybe you are right. 

But IMHO the enjoyment starts with extended bass, follows with natural mids and ends with no piercing and/or analitical treble. Well ... the LCD-4 are not perfect of course, I know that, (which headphones are?) but for me music is fun and the LSD-4 give me just that, a lot of fun and that is important for me.  I know it`s not a good idea to say that the HD 800S are boring just here in this thread but I do not intend to be aggressive at all. I respect and understand all people enjoying the HD 800S, in fact I own them.

LSD-4. Now I get it

 

[ubs28]

  LSD-4. Now I get it

 
It has quite an addictive sound you know.

 

[Gamergtx260]

Different strokes for different folks... Never had pleasure to listen anything from Audeze above LCD2, but that one was super boring sounding. Bass was not boring att all but mids and highs was super boring, slow and lacked any sparkle. LCD 4 is said to be similar sounding, but better technically so same boring sound i guess. From anything i read Only Utopia strikes perfect balance with just small downside. Small soundstage.

Surely YMMV.
 
Never had the LCD 2, but had every other LCD line. They were not boring but the exact opposite, not slow and yes recessed treble (with LCD X & LCD 4 as exceptions). Of them all the LCD 3F were the best, that mids, bass and had the most realistic timbre. Wasn't impressed with them initially cuz that was my first headphone with a darker sound signature. Gave them a few weeks of listening and I truly appreciated them. 
 
I had the LCD 4s and they were truly astonishing, that bass, mids and vocals can't describe in words, also the treble was really good. The soundstage was much wider than the LCD 3. If we rule out the price (the LCD 4s are really overpriced imo) and compare only the SQ then LCD 4s are many miles above the 800S (I love the 800S).
 
Unfortunately, I had to return them only for the weight. If you had a chance, then have a listen. I returned them, sold my Mjolnir/Gumby, saved some more money and bought the Rag/Yggy/800S/LCD 3 and couldn't be happier.
 
My point is, though neutrality is what we "audiophiles" search for, sometimes just sometimes we need that fun sounding can as an alternative, maybe in the late night when you just want to relax and not do a critical listening. Cheers!

 

[SP Wild]

Neither my LCD2s or HD800S is as neutral as the Beyer T1 from when I heard them years ago FWIW, not sure how the T1s are now, problem is I never heard the T1s to sound like a true fully open headphone, sounded semi closed to me.

 

[Svatopluk]

Neither my LCD2s or HD800S is as neutral as the Beyer T1 from when I heard them years ago FWIW, not sure how the T1s are now, problem is I never heard the T1s to sound like a true fully open headphone, sounded semi closed to me.

In my opinion, the T-1 may qualify as being semi closed because about two thirds of the cup behind the wire mesh area is solid. Although it's sound-stage is still quite impressive.

 

[SP Wild]

In my opinion, the T-1 may qualify as being semi closed because about two thirds of the cup behind the wire mesh area is solid. Although it's sound-stage is still quite impressive.

Thanks for the clarification. Explains it, they sound more open than D7000 but all my other open headphones sounded noticeably more open regardless of frequency response.

On a different note, I thought the HD800S would pair nicely with the speedball crack, it was pretty good. Except I then plugged in Schiit Vallahala 2...It synergizes better with the HD800S, with stock tubes which I reverted to from NOS tubes.

Crack with speedball has a very sparkly treble which clashes with HD800S sparkle a bit.

Valhalla 2 is not as sparkly and fits well with the HD800. Also the uppermid is filled in better with the Val2.

 

[Gamergtx260]

Neither my LCD2s or HD800S is as neutral as the Beyer T1 from when I heard them years ago FWIW, not sure how the T1s are now, problem is I never heard the T1s to sound like a true fully open headphone, sounded semi closed to me.

I had the T1 2nd Gen. Was a good headphone but wasn't fun to listen to. Maybe the 1st gen is better in terms of SQ?

 

[SP Wild]

I had the T1 2nd Gen. Was a good headphone but wasn't fun to listen to. Maybe the 1st gen is better in terms of SQ?

I dunno, I heard a version 1, and even back then different reprts of how it sounded, some said it was bright... I expected it to sound bright going by graphs.

But it wasn't. My HD800S is still a bit brighter.

I am really happy with my HD800S, makes me not worry too much about these 4k headphones out there.

I put the K701s back on and never has a headphone been rendered so obsolete in my collection so suddenly. I paid 900 bucks for them in 2008...they're not worth anything now.

 

[Arniesb]

I dunno, I heard a version 1, and even back then different reprts of how it sounded, some said it was bright... I expected it to sound bright going by graphs.

But it wasn't. My HD800S is still a bit brighter.

I am really happy with my HD800S, makes me not worry too much about these 4k headphones out there.

I put the K701s back on and never has a headphone been rendered so obsolete in my collection so suddenly. I paid 900 bucks for them in 2008...they're not worth anything now.

Strange... I have T1.1 and HD800S side by side and T1.1 is by far brighter can. By far... When i didn't had HD800S i wasnt listening music almost at all. Now im listen everyday.

 

[SP Wild]

That's the discrepancy. I believe you. One member who had a T1 fail. Was bright. Got another, it was not bright at all. Back in the V1 days.

Nevertheless, I found the HD800 back then to have a proper open headphone sound.

 

[Arniesb]

That's the discrepancy. I believe you. One member who had a T1 fail. Was bright. Got another, it was not bright at all. Back in the V1 days.

Nevertheless, I found the HD800 back then to have a proper open headphone sound.

Maybe other was T1.2 prototype lol

 

[TexasBuck]

I believe there were different revisions of the original T1, which might explain some of the variation of opinions here.  Mine was definitely brighter than the 800S.  It was built in Jan of 2013 if memory serves.  The 800S is much more resolving, more bass and larger sound-stage.  Pretty much superior in all aspects.  I really enjoyed the T1 while I had it though.  

 

[SP Wild]

When I am impressed with a headphones technicalities and the frequency response doesn't annoy me, I would run some unconventional checks.  So put on your HD800S and come on a ride with me.
 
First test.
 

 
Range Rover SVR, supercharged 5.0 V8, my favorite V8 sound, same engine as in the Jaguar F-type.  Fast transient response is absolutely necessary to correctly render the crisp mechanical sounds.  Could use more sub bass, but otherwise, the crisp mechanicals are crisp.  that's a pass.
 
Now into the interior.
 

 
The previous video is a test for transient response.  Now this tells me everything about the frequency response.  The interior soundscape I can reference easily.  
 
When he hops in and activates all the switch gear,  it is slightly too evident.  Same as over emphasising guitar plucks and the sound of pick and fingers etc.  That's the lower treble treble peak which gives the HD800S excellent distant imaging.  It is distant because of the slight upper midrange depression, which is obvious hearing the engine and road noise filtering into the cabin.  Also the sub bass is a bit weak.  But all that is somewhat nitpicking, because the pass on the first video is the hardest test, its a technical test I wouldn't even try on mid level cans.
 
On an interesting side note, when I first drove the BMW F10 twin turbo V8 M5, I thought that was the best V8 I heard...later, when reading up on technical literature, I learned that it was only I who felt that way, because from the outside the turbo V8 is muted.  The sound I was hearing was piped through the stereo system to supplement real engine sounds...in other words people on the outside probably thought I was an idiot.