The Audeze LCD-2 Ortho thread (New)

[DarKen23]

Well well well...

Just received rev.2 and took it for a quick spin. Tried them via Asus Essence ST and Teac UD-501.

I would call them spectacular if i didn't have HE-400 which cost me like $500 less.  Unless there's reasonably priced amp that will make LCD-2s sing and make a huge improvement, I just don't feel $500 upgrade in sound!

Schiit Mjolnir, look no further.

 

[stainless824]

What phones did you upgrade to?

Leaving headphone fi for speaker fi. Only headfi i'll be into now are iems on the go. If anyone is interested, my entire rig is up for sale

 

[DefQon]

Leaving headphone fi for speaker fi. 

That's the way to go mate, speakers ftw. 

 

[Barra]

  I'll sell you my Crystal Piccolino cable since my LCD2's are out of commission.

If you are serious, send me a PM with the details.

 

[M-13]

Wow not much love for the LCD-2 on this thread....
 
For what it's worth I'm very happy with mine. I drown in those lush mids almost every night.

 

[Barry S]

Well well well...

Just received rev.2 and took it for a quick spin. Tried them via Asus Essence ST and Teac UD-501.

I would call them spectacular if i didn't have HE-400 which cost me like $500 less.  Unless there's reasonably priced amp that will make LCD-2s sing and make a huge improvement, I just don't feel $500 upgrade in sound!

The HE-400 is a good headphone, but the LCD2 is at another level. However, it takes a very good quality amp and DAC to do the LCD2 justice. Any lower quality component in your signal chain will hold everything else back. The Mjolnir is excellent and available used for around $600.

 

[stainless824]

Don't get me wrong, for a headphone the LCD-2 is brilliant- but is it what it is which is a headphone.
 
I'm simply going to speakers because i prefer the presentation of sound. When it comes to resolution and frequency flatness, I highly doubt anything can touch the top tier of headphones if they're driven with world class components.
 
The LCD-2 is beautifully linear in my opinion- its just the feeling of having sound being presented inches away from your ear which I have found to be just not for me. 
 
I may come back 1 or 2 years down the track, if they ever release an LCD-4.

 

[Wyd4]

  Don't get me wrong, for a headphone the LCD-2 is brilliant- but is it what it is which is a headphone.
 
I'm simply going to speakers because i prefer the presentation of sound. When it comes to resolution and frequency flatness, I highly doubt anything can touch the top tier of headphones if they're driven with world class components.
 
The LCD-2 is beautifully linear in my opinion- its just the feeling of having sound being presented inches away from your ear which I have found to be just not for me. 
 
I may come back 1 or 2 years down the track, if they ever release an LCD-4.

 
I am with you in every regard.
However my current situation doesn't allow for speakers, thus I am stuck with headphones.
Worst of all, my situation requires almost exclusively closed headphones to boot.
 
Though I did LOVE my LCD2's while I had them.

 

[DarKen23]

 
Don't get me wrong, for a headphone the LCD-2 is brilliant- but is it what it is which is a headphone.

I'm simply going to speakers because i prefer the presentation of sound. When it comes to resolution and frequency flatness, I highly doubt anything can touch the top tier of headphones if they're driven with world class components.

The LCD-2 is beautifully linear in my opinion- its just the feeling of having sound being presented inches away from your ear which I have found to be just not for me. 

I may come back 1 or 2 years down the track, if they ever release an LCD-4.

I am with you in every regard.
However my current situation doesn't allow for speakers, thus I am stuck with headphones.
Worst of all, my situation requires almost exclusively closed headphones to boot.
 
Though I did LOVE my LCD2's while I had them.

While I do enjoy speakers, headphones allow me to really get inside the music, an immersive listening experience. For me, there's nothing better than resting my feet, put on the comfy HD800, and remain at audio nirvana after a long day at work :].

 

[Wyd4]

While I do enjoy speakers, headphones allow me to really get inside the music, an immersive listening experience. For me, there's nothing better than resting my feet, put on the comfy HD800, and remain at audio nirvana after a long day at work :].

 
Haha It is also hard to argue with that
I haven't had the pleasure of the HD800's.
Dont think i ever will.  They are just too far out of my range price wise.
 
That being said my setup is portable, so I would never do it justice anyway.
 
Scott

 

[stainless824]

While I do enjoy speakers, headphones allow me to really get inside the music, an immersive listening experience. For me, there's nothing better than resting my feet, put on the comfy HD800, and remain at audio nirvana after a long day at work :].

 
If you ever get the chance to listen to a well setup pair of speakers i'm sure your mind will be changed. Unfortunately, the threshold for something that will dig up a comparable amount of detail as an HD800 would be something like a dynaudio confidence c1- which over here is... 10 grand

 

[Barra]

 

 

 

I am having LCD2 withdrawals, not because I sold them, but because I shorted my cable to the left ear. The stock connection is a little flimsy for wearing them to bed unfortunately. 

 Anyone have experience with these cables or have other suggestions in the less than $200 price range? 

1) Artemis Cables "Arrow" LCD2/3 Upgrade Cable $150 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Artemis-Cab...gin:0px;padding:0px;">2) AudioMinor's [/color

AUDEZE LCD-2 PURE COPPER CABLE $130 ([url=http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDEZE-LCD-2-LCD-3-CABLE-5-ft-PURE-COPPER-/251117209468]Link)
3) Charleston Cable Company


 AURIC LCD2/3 Upgrade Cable 

I have a Artemis cable for my HD800 and havent found anything close its quality.

They do look nicely made. Does the cable have any affect on the sound compared to your stock HD800 cable - signature, better, worse? How are the ergonomics? 

Im pretty sure I wouldnt use it nor would I recommend it if it made it worse..

Sorry, dumb question, was just trying to draw more commentary. This is the cable I have been favoring and I am close to ordering.

 

[DarKen23]

While I do enjoy speakers, headphones allow me to really get inside the music, an immersive listening experience. For me, there's nothing better than resting my feet, put on the comfy HD800, and remain at audio nirvana after a long day at work :].

If you ever get the chance to listen to a well setup pair of speakers i'm sure your mind will be changed. Unfortunately, the threshold for something that will dig up a comparable amount of detail as an HD800 would be something like a dynaudio confidence c1- which over here is... 10 grand

Ouch, that's definitely not an attractive price. Well, atleast I feel better in that one would have to pay more or less for the amount of detail Im hearing

 

[stainless824]

Ouch, that's definitely not an attractive price. Well, atleast I feel better in that one would have to pay more or less for the amount of detail Im hearing

 
Exactly haha. Head-fi is better for the masses.
 
The scale and drama that even 1500 dollar speakers can re-create though is still unmatched by even the most expensive of headphones. The C1 is just an example when it comes to detail. We haven't mentioned bass punch, dynamics, soundstaging, imaging or anything else which speakers are leaps and bounds ahead of headphones. That's where all the money goes towards

 

[Zoom25]

^ I'd agree. Speakers over headphones all day. Having high end speakers is actually far more immersive than the type of immersion that headphones give you. It's not even close IMO.