[MacedonianHero]

  Hi,
 
I'm considering these two headphones.  Amplifier would be either a Ray Samueles Emmeline XP-7 or a Musical Fidelty M1 HPA.  I mostly listen to Rock, Industrial, Heavy Metal, but also some classical, jazz, techno, and classic rock.  
 
Obviously my budget is about $1500.  I like the idea of buying an American made product in the Audeze line. 
 
I have read through the thread on the LCD-X, but does anyone know how it compares to the HD800 in terms of soundstage width?
 
Thanks.

Based on your upfront gear, I'd easily recommend the LCD-X. They are fantastic all rounder orthos and would pair nicely with that gear. The HD800s would require a lot bigger investment in your amp/dac/source to get the best out of them. 
 
Nothing beats the HD800's sound staging width....not even my SR-009s. 

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  Based on your upfront gear, I'd easily recommend the LCD-X. They are fantastic all rounder orthos and would pair nicely with that gear. The HD800s would require a lot bigger investment in your amp/dac/source to get the best out of them. 
 
Nothing beats the HD800's sound staging width....not even my SR-009s. 

 
While that is true and HD800's depth is amazing, I love the fact that LCD-X still competes with HD800 soundstage wise, as I said in my review:
 

Soundstage
 
I am surprised  and happy to say that LCD-X competes with HD800  in this department . I said I am happy because it takes a lot to pull something that competes here so well with the HD800s in the dynamic headphones world. And to us, the headphones lovers, there’s even more choice now.
It doesn’t have the depth of HD800 and all that air between the layers, but the sound is still opening in some ways compared toHD800.
 
LCD-X has more air at the top and gave me a more precise image of the room. With HD800 the sounds go  further in the depth than with LCD-X, but sometimes they loose themselves in the back. With LCD-X the sounds hit the ending wall in the room and come back, giving you a more accurate presentation of the room. This could be from the treble, as overall, it is more linear and present on LCD-X than on HD800. The treble reflects more easily from objects, in this case the scene’s wall.
 
Both have a very good soundstage in my opinion, and it is incredible that LCD-X competes with HD800 in this department and even surpasses it in some ways.

 

[Carlsan]

   
While that is true, I love the fact that LCD-X still competes with HD800 soundstage wise, as I said in my review:
 

 
Nice review Dan, as a LCD-3 and HD800 owner, I am seriously thinking of buying the X.
 
Just wish it wasn't the Holiday gift giving season!!! 

 

[dan.gheorghe]

   
Nice review Dan, as a LCD-3 and HD800 owner, I am seriously thinking of buying the X.
 
Just wish it wasn't the Holiday gift giving season!!! 

 
Thanks Carlsan. Well, the holiday season is a good opportunity to make yourself a gift ) .

 

[Tony1110]

Thanks Carlsan. Well, the holiday season is a good opportunity to make yourself a gift ) .

Do you think anybody would be convinced if I were to buy my 1 yr old the LCD-X for Christmas?

 

[Carlsan]

Do you think anybody would be convinced if I were to buy my 1 yr old the LCD-X for Christmas?

 
Wrap it in a pack of diapers, when you open the diapers, go,
"what, look here, a perfectly good pair of headphones. I'll have to just put these aside, by my other headphones, until he is old enough to use these"!

 

[negura]

Do you think anybody would be convinced if I were to buy my 1 yr old the LCD-X for Christmas?

 
My 10 months old seems to be perfectly happy with the SR-009s he received one month early. )
 
Oh btw at this age, the best gift is literally a nicely coloured empty box. Keeps them busy for hours and hours on end. I am sure Audeze would accomodate some nice gift wrapping.

 

[Bolardito]

Do you think anybody would be convinced if I were to buy my 1 yr old the LCD-X for Christmas?

You made me laugh..the perfect way to avoid trouble with the wife

 

[wink]

Buy one for HER, just the same way SHE buys you all those shoes and dresses..............

 

[Maxvla]

After a few days with the HD800, I'm really enjoying them.  However I think I might still like to try the LCD-X next year after it has been out awhile longer and there is more data/reviews available.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the German headphone!

I don't know if Patrick of www.nice-cans.com of Austin has any LCD-X yet, but if you are planning to wait til next year anyway he should have some by then. Also, click the link in my signature and get access to all kinds of gear to try

I'm interested to try the LCD-X, but cannot believe any notion of them sounding remotely acceptable in the soundstage department. Expecting a typical Audeze presentation but with a more balanced frequency response. Probably the best Audeze yet, but still lacking in my most important criteria.

 

[inter voice]

I have just posted my comparison of LCD-X and HD800 in Toxic Cable appreciation thread.  If you are interested you may click the link below for information:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/609155/toxic-cables-the-appreciation-thread/5580#post_10119891

 

[TheDuke990]

Interesting but I cannot confirm your result for "Midrange".
For me the greatest weakness of LCD-X is the dull and a little bit veiled midrange especially voices. It sounds so much better and clearer by using a HD800.
But treble are really nice out of LCD-X. Okay not as clear than out of HD800 but very very good.
 
What do you mean with "naturalness" ? Natural is for me neutral and it means the music sounds like it is and is not sounded.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  I have just posted my comparison of LCD-X and HD800 in Toxic Cable appreciation thread.  If you are interested you may click the link below for information:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/609155/toxic-cables-the-appreciation-thread/5580#post_10119891

 
Thank you for your impressions. 
 
Quote:

  Interesting but I cannot confirm your result for "Midrange".
For me the greatest weakness of LCD-X is the dull and a little bit veiled midrange especially voices. It sounds so much better and clearer by using a HD800.
But treble are really nice out of LCD-X. Okay not as clear than out of HD800 but very very good.
 
What do you mean with "naturalness" ? Natural is for me neutral and it means the music sounds like it is and is not sounded.

 
I think that pairing is very important here. I found LCD-X different than you guys did. The voices are one of the very strong points on LCD-X. I also think that LCD-X is overall more transparent than HD800.
 
The treble on lcd-x doesn't have the peak as HD800 but it is more linear and more present on higher frequencies. While the soundstage on hd800 is without any doubt deeper and wider, LCD-X has overall more air on top and better height. 
 
( I used silver widow and the new budged silver cable from toxic, which improve the transients, transparency, treble, etc )

 

[inter voice]

  Interesting but I cannot confirm your result for "Midrange".
For me the greatest weakness of LCD-X is the dull and a little bit veiled midrange especially voices. It sounds so much better and clearer by using a HD800.
But treble are really nice out of LCD-X. Okay not as clear than out of HD800 but very very good.
 
What do you mean with "naturalness" ? Natural is for me neutral and it means the music sounds like it is and is not sounded.

Yes In the Toxic appreciation thread I have earlier mentioned that LCD-X is veiled when out of the box but it improves after some burning in.  I am waiting for the Silver Widow and with that hopefully every aspects will be improved.  For the HF I found that it has been rolled back by too much and using a silver cable should extended and boosted the HF to an acceptable level.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  Yes In the Toxic appreciation thread I have earlier mentioned that LCD-X is veiled when out of the box but it improves after some burning in.  I am waiting for the Silver Widow and with that hopefully every aspects will be improved.  For the HF I found that it has been rolled back by too much and using a silver cable should extended and boosted the HF to an acceptable level.

That is what I was trying to say. I didn't ever find LCD-X to be veiled. I love it's treble. I like it's treble more than on HD800, because on LCD-X is more transparent and more linear.