Introduction

I'm definitely one who'd turn his nose at anything called "neutral. And to be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed when I first put on the LCD-5's. However, giving them a fair shake it becomes clear just how exceptional they are, far beyond what you could sum up in a single word.

Sound Impressions

Honestly, the LCD-5's are a bit hard to talk about. When it comes to sound, I really struggle to find any flaws. It might not excel in particular areas, namely low end, but I definitely wouldn't say it's a poor performer in any category. I'd almost call it a jack of all trades, master of none sort of situation if not for the standout vocals and detail delivery. I'd say the only real flaw is the clamp comfort, which can get uncomfortable after several hours.

Now, the easiest complement I can give the LCD-5 is that they are detail machines. Everything is delivered with exceptional precision. Vocals are also excellent, like a refined HD 600.

However, what stood out to me the most and what I think makes these a standout in the TOTL range is just how smooth everything is. Even the spiciest of treble spikes hit like silk, but still with plenty of life and energy. It's almost magical how well these draw the line just in the right place without ever being sibilant or fatiguing, or on the other hand, being too soft. Seriously, I have never once thought "Ouch!" wearing these (except maybe from the clamp force).

I can't comment too much on EQ, though I did mess around a bit to bring up the low end. Personally, I enjoyed them just as they are, but I can certainly see these being a near perfect canvas to shape the sound to your liking.

On a final note, I feel these really excel with rock. In particular, AC/DC's Thunderstruck has never sounded better to the point where it's all I want to listen to. So if that's your jam, I wouldn't hesitate to pick these up.

Comparisons

Of the headphones I have, I think this comes closest to the DT1990 in terms of sound signature (no surprise there), but without any of the characteristic sharpness and detail turned up to 11.

Price wise, the closest competitor I have is the Verite Closed. Although the VC is certainly no slouch, the LCD-5 wins handily in terms of detail and vocals. I might go so far as to call the VC dark of veiled, particularly in the midrange. However, the VC has far superior low end, both in terms of quantity and slam.

At this point, the price gap widens to the point of questionable merit, but worth mentioning is the Arya V3. Again, the LCD-5's detail and vocals are far superior with the Arya V3 instead having much more low end. In this case I wouldn't say the Arya is strictly better given just how smooth the LCD-5 is; it probably just comes down to preference at that point. The Arya also has wider soundstage, giving that somewhat holographic feel I know I personally love. There's certainly nothing wrong with the soundstage on the LCD-5, but it's not one of it's defining characteristics.

Conclusion

I can definitely recommend these to those looking for high energy, all-rounders or those seeking the TOTL forms of the DT 1990 or HD 600. Personally, I think these are still a bit too neutral for my taste, but would certainly be an excellent pillar in many a collection.

Introduction

After spending about a month with these, I can confidently say they're the best IEM's I've ever heard. 5/5 since they fall firmly in the category of headphones that make me want to listen way too loud, even though I know better. Seriously, they're addictive.

Overall, I'd describe the tuning as mostly neutral with base boost with a very full presentation. Definitely wouldn't call these laid back, but everything is delivered smoothly and effortlessly.

These are bassy headphones, like comparable that of the TH900, but with even more sub bass extension. If anything, these deserve TOTL status for just how technically impressive they are with the quality and quantity of low end they have, yet still remaining incredibly precise and detailed.

Honestly, the very first time I listened to them it was frankly a bit overwhelming, but after swapping around tips and atom modules, I got a sound that worked for me.

For listening, I used an iFi Gryphon and Symbio MandarinEs tips. Most of the time, I had the silver atom modules installed.

IEM Comparisons

I was able to A/B the Xe6 pretty closely with the 64 Audio Tia Fourte by using IE match on the 4.4mm output with the Gryphon, and plugging the other IEM into the 3.5mm jack, which volume matched them pretty closely. My only other IEMs at the time were Yume Midnight's which, I mean isn't really a fair comparison.

Both being flagships, they are definitely excellent in their own right, and while I can't say the Xe6 won in every category, 90% of the time I went for those over the Fourte.

The main difference between the two is, of course, the Xe6 having vastly superior low end. In contrast, the Fourte has more of that sparkly treble that made them my previous favorite IEM. The Fourte also has slightly wider soundstage, and is more airy and laid back, while the Xe6 is more musical and full, especially in everywhere outside of the highs. Also, even compared to the Fourte, the Xe6 made me realize parts of the music I'd never noticed before.

Full Sized Comparisons

Of my collection, I think the sound signature is closes to that of Argons, but refined to an extremely high level. Like where the Argon's may get muddled or lose some of the mid range or detail, the Xe6's perform perfectly. Not to mention the Argon's don't really have comparable sub base.

Compared to the Verite Closed, the Xe6 is a bit more v shaped, and a lot bassier. Maybe like 10% more treble and 25% more low end. VC are also wider and are again more airy/sparkly where the Xe6 are full and warm. Technicalities and detail are roughly on par with one another to my ears.

Conclusion

I'd recommend just on the grounds of the kinetic bass. Audiophiles are spoiled for choice, but every once in awhile something comes along that is truly unique. These are just that, a truly one of a kind experience. However, if you're really into a neutral or laid back sound signature, these might not be the best choice. In my opinion, these perform best with bassy music (EDM for me), but also music with a heavy string focus, like just someone singing with their acoustic guitar all the way to big, orchestral music.

First review, here we go:

This is mostly going to be a comparison with the stock R7:

Overall, excellent for the price and absolutely worth the hype. Balanced, detailed, and surprisingly wide for a closed back.

However, comparing against the stock pair of the R7DX's really makes me appreciate the magic of this mod.

To that end, I'm comfortable saying the JM edition is an improvement across the board: bass is more controlled, sibilance/sharpness is toned down, and soundstage widened.

The biggest difference is definitely in the enhanced midrange portions to the point where the stock R7's feel almost as if 10-20% of the music is just missing.

Last thing to mention is a 100g weight increase from 337g to 437g when modded. Noticeable, but well worth it in my opinion.

Note: I'm rating this more on an absolute scale. For the ~$200 I paid, nothing comes close.