Thinking of returning my Audeze LCD-2

[coolsound]

Hi all,
I bought the Audeze LCD-2 with leather headband from HeadRoom a couple of weeks ago (great service by the way).  The headphones sounds fantastic, best I've ever heard.  The problem is it is so uncomfortable.  The headphones weight and clamp make it hard to wear the headphones long.  My head hurts after just a few songs and I have to take it off for a few minutes.  I really don't want to return the headphones as the sounds is so good but as is I will not be using the headphones very often.  What can I do to make the LCD more comfortable?  I wish the Audeze has the confort level of the Denon D2000.  Thanks.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
Not much you can do. It's why I didn't go with the LCD2, instead, went HifiMAN HE-500. Oh so soft velour, comfort level is better than even my Denon D2000. And the sound? Oh... the sound... *swoon*
 
Very best,

 

[Beagle]

I just got mine from HeadRoom (also had great service!) and I understand what you are saying about the bulkiness. I don't find them overly tight or heavy but I do find them somewhat bulky (probably the thick rear pad area). I think the best thing to do is some neck exercises to strengthen the neck muscles or just wait and you will get used to them. It's a small price to pay for the great sound.

 

[obzilla]

Give it a bit of time, you'll get used to it.
The are no Denon in terms of comfort/lightness, but I got used to them in a couple weeks.
 
IMO worth it for the sound.

 

[Canadian411]

Sorry to hear that,, I had the same experience, in the beginning I could not wear Audeze more than 15 minutes.
I had to bend the headband a bit to lose the clamp force. (it helped)
 
But don't get me wrong, LCD2 is a very heavy can, I often use this when I completely lay down so my neck does not hurt.
 
Time to shop for a second pair ? haha,.
 
 

 

[LCfiner]

I had a similar reaction to the LCD2 with the leather headband. I had to bend out the headband to make it bearable for more than 10 minutes but even then it felt very heavy and awkward on my head. I ended up selling them. a shame.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I just got mine from HeadRoom (also had great service!) and I understand what you are saying about the bulkiness. I don't find them overly tight or heavy but I do find them somewhat bulky (probably the thick rear pad area). I think the best thing to do is some neck exercises to strengthen the neck muscles or just wait and you will get used to them. It's a small price to pay for the great sound.

 
I agree with Dave here...they may be bulky, but aren't what I would call uncomfortable with my large melon.
 
 
Quote:

Heya,
 
Not much you can do. It's why I didn't go with the LCD2, instead, went HifiMAN HE-500. Oh so soft velour, comfort level is better than even my Denon D2000. And the sound? Oh... the sound... *swoon*
 
Very best,

 
FWIW, I happen to own the HE-6s and between the two, I find the LCD-2s more comfortable over long listening sessions.
 

 

[Br777]

I too found my lcd-2 very uncomfortable at first but now i find i can wear them for very long periods with almost no discomfort.
i dont know how much of this is simply getting used to them, and how much of it is various measures i took.  Probably both.
 
that said here are some of my observations and tips: btw for what its worth i have the foam pad, not the leather.
 
1.   bend the band out until its flat, and hold it that way for about a minute. you can even sort of work it back and forth while its bent out as well.  when you put them back on, you will feel the clamping pressure is much less.. for a while.
2.  do this every time before you put the cans on. it helps, however the metal used to make the band is very resiliant and tends to go back to its original place over time.
3.  get a glass head, or some type of "head sized" stand and keep your cans on it.  this will help keep them stretched out.  I think this has been the single most effective way i have found to improve comfort with these cans.  when i put them back on after they have been on the head, they are substantially looser on my head, and stay that way for a long time. 
4.  playing with the size adjustment and finding a setting that is not so tight can help immensely.  If i adjust the cans to snugly , they become quite tight, and the clamp increases from every angle.
5. simply giving them tim, and i mean over a week or even 2 of daily use will help.  the pressure points on you head and face will get used to the pressure, and "desensitize" as it were. 
 
Though the LCD-2's are still not what i would call super comfortable, i have gone from feeling they were unbearable, to keeping them on my head for 1-3 hour stretches and feeling only minor and what i now considerable a non issue of discomfort.
 
 
 

 

[khaos974]

Dealing with the clamping issue is easy, you can either:

- bend the headband manually, ie push the center of the headband downwards while pushing the sides upwards.
- put several thick books between the earpads when you are not listening (the combined books should be thicker than your head)
- wait for the band ad the earpads to soften up.

As for the weight, try to rotate the LCD-2 around your ears until the headband rests in a comfortable position, this should improve things but they will still weigh the same.

 

[coolsound]

Thanks everyone for your feedback.  I still have a couple of weeks left before the grace period expire.  I will give it another week to see if I can get use to the cans.  Thanks.

 

[Nick01]

Quote:

Thanks everyone for your feedback.  I still have a couple of weeks left before the grace period expire.  I will give it another week to see if I can get use to the cans.  Thanks.

Return those bricks. No headphones is worth the pain.
 

 

[Happy Camper]

I could see some shoulder "kick stands" to support that massive weight of these orthos. Something adjustable/telescopic with weight adsorbers to cushion the weight transfer when moving. When I get weary of the weight, I use the headrest to support the backs of the cups.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

I could see some shoulder "kick stands" to support that massive weight of these orthos. 

 
This is the best post I've read this week.

 

[The Pell]

Just as the sound should be comfortable to your ears, the headphones need to be comfortable to your body.

 

[Br777]

I have never found the weight of these headphones to be the issue
the issue is the way they clamp on your head.  Its not even so much the tightness, its that the pressure is not distributed evenly and they end up pressing on a small concentrated area in your head.  at least that's my experience, but again, i don't find them all that uncomfortable anymore.  Certainly not bothersome to the point that i would use it as a reason to get rid of them.