[brat]

 
Quote:

 
I am not a big believer in huge sonic changes with cables because I feel the money is better spent upgrading or modding other components first...

 
Just the opposite:
Some years ago I've bought stax O2 + amp for them. Huge disappointment! Flat, veiled, uninspiring sound, no dynamics, no bass impact, just terrible! I've tried to accustom to this sound because it had to be good according to the accolades on head-fi. No chance. After 2-3 weeks it was still terrible to me. Then, accidentally my friend gave me new XLR interconnects and I put them between my Cary 306 SACD and the stax amp. WOW!!!! Van den Hul The Second XLR ICs were the component that gave new sound to the whole system. By replacing my old Vincent XLR ICs with them I obtained that dynamics, bass impact and 3D that missed before. Of course electrostats never sound live and dynamic as the other cans but this simple change of cables has the biggest cost/effect ratio I've ever experienced... After that when I need a change of the sound I begin with cables - power, digital or analog or speaker cables - and then consider amps, sources or transducers.
I've had many amps and sources, dacs and CDPs. Sonic dofferences between a DAC and a CDP that costs ten times more may be smaller than the difference between some cables. So if you want a change it's better to start with the cheaper component.
Do not underestimate the "small" components in your system

 

[purrin]

 
Quote:

 
 
Just the opposite:
Some years ago I've bought stax O2 + amp for them. Huge disappointment! Flat, veiled, uninspiring sound, no dynamics, no bass impact, just terrible! I've tried to accustom to this sound because it had to be good according to the accolades on head-fi. No chance. After 2-3 weeks it was still terrible to me. Then, accidentally my friend gave me new XLR interconnects and I put them between my Cary 306 SACD and the stax amp. WOW!!!! Van den Hul The Second XLR ICs were the component that gave new sound to the whole system. By replacing my old Vincent XLR ICs with them I obtained that dynamics, bass impact and 3D that missed before. Of course electrostats never sound live and dynamic as the other cans but this simple change of cables has the biggest cost/effect ratio I've ever experienced... After that when I need a change of the sound I begin with cables - power, digital or analog or speaker cables - and then consider amps, sources or transducers.
I've had many amps and sources, dacs and CDPs. Sonic dofferences between a DAC and a CDP that costs ten times more may be smaller than the difference between some cables. So if you want a change it's better to start with the cheaper component.
Do not underestimate the "small" components in your system

 
I think that statement is an over generalization with stats.
 
My experience was quite opposite. While cables did make some difference for me (I have a stash of "audiophile" and DIY cables of differing materials and geometries), the most significant upgrade which made a meaningful difference was upgrading from the SRM323, especially in regards to the O2 which are really hard to drive. Before the amp (and a DAC) upgrade, I was actually thinking of getting out of 'stats (sold off my 009s) because of those very issues which you mentioned.
 
Currently, I'm even running "cheap" DIY balanced interconnects using short lengths of Mogami wire - but balanced cables seem to be more immune to the deleterious effects of very "basic" geometries/materials such as twisted multi-strand copper, at least with my source and amp.
 
I guess my point is that no cable combination ever made me want to stick with stats while I had the SRM323. At that point, my stat setup sounded as you remarked: "not as live and dynamic", and suffered control issues with the bass and midrange. Whereas a DAC and amp upgrade resolved every single one of those concerns without any consideration of what cables to run. I may experiment with and DIY some silver XLR interconnects one day, but it remains an extremely low priority. Maybe I'm missing out on something, but I'm immensely enjoying what I have without having to fret about stuff.
 
I think a stronger case for this point can be made in regards to the LCD-2. The $300-600 spent on cable can go a long way to move you up an entire class from a Lyr or Burson to an Apex Arete; or from a PC card output to a Lyr. Although Chris does seem to offer a compelling reason for a cable upgrade because of his excellent pricing. And no, I'm not shilling for him. I don't even know him. (I think he's a friend of friend.) He just seems like a cool guy to me. 

 

 

[DefQon]

 
Quote:

 
 
Not all aftermarket LCD-2 cables are that expensive. If anything just buy an IEM cable, then terminate it to Mini-XLR in the worst case scenario.

 
Since your an MOT for your custom cables, from what I've gathered it is recommended to use thicker awg wires for Orthos such as the LCD2 as they require and have much more current going through the cables then your regular say HD650's, can one confirm on this? I'm about to get some balanced 18awg OCC silver rectangular cables from Toxic cables via ebay for my LCD2's which is $650 haha, or I might just go forth and use 8 strands of my own solid core pure silver at 24awg and teflon it.

 

[Chris_Himself]

 
Quote:

 
 
Since your an MOT for your custom cables, from what I've gathered it is recommended to use thicker awg wires for Orthos such as the LCD2 as they require and have much more current going through the cables then your regular say HD650's, can one confirm on this? I'm about to get some balanced 18awg OCC silver rectangular cables from Toxic cables via ebay for my LCD2's which is $650 haha, or I might just go forth and use 8 strands of my own solid core pure silver at 24awg and teflon it.

 
Nope not really.. 24AWG handles power just fine. If you look at speaker wire and it's power handling capabilities, it'd behave the same in a headphone cable format. The gauge just ultimately affects durability in my eyes.
 
Get the Toxic cables, they're very nice and you save yourself the trouble of doing an 8-braid. 24AWG solid core is also fairly inflexible haha. I tried to use it for an IEM cable application once and the result was nobueno.
 
 

 

[DefQon]

 
Quote:

 
 
Nope not really.. 24AWG handles power just fine. If you look at speaker wire and it's power handling capabilities, it'd behave the same in a headphone cable format. The gauge just ultimately affects durability in my eyes.
 
Get the Toxic cables, they're very nice and you save yourself the trouble of doing an 8-braid. 24AWG solid core is also fairly inflexible haha. I tried to use it for an IEM cable application once and the result was nobueno.
 
 

 
Yeah it is fairly stiff and microphonic having recable my FA-011 using a 3 strand braid.
 
By cables I'm talking about these: 
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Audeze-LCD-2-8ft-8-wire-18AWG-Rectangular-wire-Pure-OCC-Silver-cable-/120893802484?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item1c25d507f4#ht_1421wt_1140

 

[Windsor]

After listening to the HD 800 for a while and preferring it to the LCD-2 due to the incredible microscopic clarity of the former, I'm again listening to the LCD-2. While as standard and compared to the HD 800 the LCD-2 sound a bit muddy to me, but after some EQ I'm amazed at how great - and still non-fatiguing - it sounds (the ways I've EQ'd it the treble really opens up and the character of the headphone is completely different whilst retaining its natural tone).
 
What an extraordinary headphone!

 

[Solude]

I've found the LCD-2, Rev1 especially, can sound dark unles played at moderate to high volumes.  Around 70dB seems to be the wake up point, by 80dB any thoughts of a dark character are gone.

 

[dailydoseofdaly]

I've found the LCD-2, Rev1 especially, can sound dark unles played at moderate to high volumes.  Around 70dB seems to be the wake up point, by 80dB any thoughts of a dark character are gone.

I have found that same thing to be true the past two nights listening at low levels,trying not to wake my wife. Does the the rev2 not have that issue?

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

 
Quote:

 
 
I'd like to see Tyll do that with one of his measurements on the LCD-2. Specifically with a few different cables.
 
Not saying that you did it wrong, just like to see what Tyll would think of it.

 
I've not seen cables make a measurable difference either. I have heard them make a difference ... I think.  

 

[Windsor]

^ I have definitely heard an aftermarket cable affect the sound of the LCD-2.
 
I found that the ALO cable I tried immediately seemed to present recordings more brightly than the stock cable. With the ALO cable there was more top end and air around instruments; cymbals had more sizzle and shimmer, and the bass was leaner than with the LCD-2 stock cable.
 
I'd definitely recommend an aftermarket cable or experimenting with EQ if you are not satisfied with the stock LCD-2 sound.

 

[sphinxvc]

Got vegan pads today, can't wait to go home and try it out.  They're def. more comfortable and the LCD-2 is a bit lighter.

 

[Windsor]

Got vegan pads today, can't wait to go home and try it out.  They're def. more comfortable and the LCD-2 is a bit lighter.

Cool. Let us know how they compare to the stock pads.

 

[MEDO]

can anyone compare the sound of the LCD-2 rev.2 Bamboo to the original LCD-2 rev.2 ? they just change the housing meterial .. right ?!
Audeze really drives me crazy !! i mean every batch sound different than before even they've updated the ear pads without saying in their website or the other websites, why can't they stay the same !! like the other companies, beyerdynamic, senns ...

 

[Solude]

Am I crazy or do the leather free pads seem more LCD-3 like in that they are rounded, taller in the front and soft?

 

[sphinxvc]

Really?  
 

 
Ok, so far I feel the images have become a tiny bit more rounded and amorphous.  Overall the sound is more open.  A wee bit more stage, so maybe LCD-3 like in that sense. 
 
The biggest, most immediate difference is the lack of resonance or ringing issues.  To me, that alone is worth the price of admission of the vegan pads.
 
It's also less slippery than the leather and fit and comfort are improved.