LittleEarz
New Head-Fier
Preface
I did a short writeup on the Zeus vs the 660s a while ago and at the end of that review I didn't think I would venture above the $350 range. I was totally happy with everything that the Zeus was but as with all addictions I wanted to know if I hit the ceiling. I really wanted to know what a $1000 set of headphones sounds like and if it's just use case related nonsense or if there really is a big difference. Today I am comparing a dynamic driver headphone (HarmonicDyne Zeus) to a planar magnetic headphone (Audeze LCD-X) so I will do my best to explain the differences between them and why this is a bit like comparing a Kia Stinger to a Mercedes AMG E63.
Build Quality
This is a difficult subject to maneuver around because of one thing, weight. The LCD-X is almost twice as heavy as the Zeus. This comes from the size difference and quality of the materials used. The Zeus is made of plastic and aluminum with some steel on the outside grill and some small wood accents here and there. The pads are suede exterior and lightweight memory foam/gel interior.
The LCD-X has massive cups with metal grills, steel headband sliders, and a leather head strap. The pads are a giant affair, angled, leather exterior and soft foam filling. Weight sometimes gives the feel of luxury and that is 100% the case here. The Zeus compared to other headphones in its price range hold up just fine but once you get to $1000 it just feels cheap in the hands compared to the LCD-X. I can see both of these headphones lasting many years without breaking but I have no doubt the LCD-X would last longer with all the steel and accessible screws.
Comfort/Fit
This category is also going to be colored a bit by the weight of the LCD-X but not as much as you think. I have a pretty average size head and I suffer from migraines. More then any of these three categories Comfort/Fit is top for me. The LCD-X was never a problem in weight for me in neck strain or fatigue. However, my movement always felt very restricted while wearing these headphones because the weight will pull them right off my face if I point my head down or lean it too far back. There is okay clamp pressure on these which does make them extremely comfortable but like a pair of slippers does, if I want to move a ton I need a bit tighter fit. I had no issues wearing these headphones for 3+ hours but I wouldn’t take them into a 24 hour long Destiny 2 Raid.
The Zeus takes default comfort. I’m not sure how HarmonDyne got it so right so fast but all other headphones should be judged against these. Half the weight helps when compared to the LCD-X but even in a vacuum these headphones are impressive. The pads are outstanding and I haven’t felt anything quite like them on my head before. The LCD-X pads scream luxury but the Zeus pads or just the cool side of any pillow for me. They never get hot, itchy or irritating in long runs of 6+ hours and the clamp force makes them wearable even when I have a headache creeping in.
Sound
This is where the comparison gets VERY unfair and where the money difference becomes very apparent. The Zeus is a open back but there is a lot of stuff between the outside world and the driver including the ornate grill that makes it less open then say the Sennheiser 660s. I think that allows the bass to hit really well with these, with the ifi Zen Dac II’s bass boost button turned it will actually shake your head although I almost never use it because the default bass is great. They sound like sitting in a small to medium room with speakers on the walls. Imaging on the Zeus is excellent both in music and video games, the first time I tried the Zeus with gaming I was blown away by how much more accurate things seemed to be with placement of sound. I never had complaints about the soundstage with the Zeus, again I would say things seem like a small or medium sized room, you can tell there is a wall there but it didn’t bother me before. Clarity and highs are not something I would have said the Zeus does bad either. Lindsey Stirling sounds excellent on these and is usually what I use to test this category. I came from the 660s to the Zeus and I have never looked back, these cans just do everything really well for me.
Now take everything I just said and add some EXTRA onto it and you have the LCD-X. The planar drivers are protected by the metal grill and that's it so they are WAY more open then the Zeus. I had a really hard time describing this next part so bare with me. When the Zeus is on your head it feels like about 10ft out is where the sound stops, hits a wall and between your ears and that wall there is nothing there until you reach the wall where the sound is. With the LCD-X I can’t tell where the sound wall stops and the emptiness I hear on the Zeus is FILLED with sound on the LCD-X. It’s really hard to describe and best experienced in person. On the track Seven Nation Army by Scott Ridley and Haley Reinhart I noticed this the most. With the Zeus it feels like I am in the room she is performing in but with the LCD-X it feels like she is in a massive arena performing and I am the only one there. With how open these are it’s hard to believe but these headphones hit just as hard as the Zeus with bass and it feels much better and more detailed. Imaging on these seems to be just as good as the Zeus, at these price points I am not sure how it can get much better. Soundstage obviously is much better on the LCD-X because of the openness of the drivers, a noticeable difference in the games I play in terms of how far out you can tell some sounds are vs others. Clarity and highs have gaps on the Zeus that are filled in on the LCD-X that I didn’t even notice where there. Detail is also greatly improved here as well and games are actually where I noticed it the most. The first time I put these headphones on and shot a gun in Destiny 2 I was so blown away by how much more detail each shot had that I went to my vault and started just picking out old guns just to hear how they all sound. The immersion factor is also much better on the LCD-X and it’s really easy to get lost in an old game or album that you hear in a new light.
Round up
I will be selling the LCD-X. Before I tried these cans I was entirely happy with the Zeus in all the things I used it for and I still am for the most part. I am not sure how fair a comparison this was because one is a dynamic and he other is a planar but a lot of the differences in sound are probably due to the different driver types. But I am always hyper conscious of how I handle the LCD’s and there huge size and weight are a bit of a let down in usability for me. This is why I said it was a it’s a bit like comparing a Kia to a Mercedes. They are both cars that will get you where you need to go but one is a true experience that makes every drive special. But you are much more aware of how close you are parking next to people and when they break the cost to replace them is a very different story. For me I want to try other planars now like the Aeon Open X or Aeon Noir, something a bit more m and portable but I am extremely happy I tried these and understand the differences, try to hear them if you get the opportunity.
I did a short writeup on the Zeus vs the 660s a while ago and at the end of that review I didn't think I would venture above the $350 range. I was totally happy with everything that the Zeus was but as with all addictions I wanted to know if I hit the ceiling. I really wanted to know what a $1000 set of headphones sounds like and if it's just use case related nonsense or if there really is a big difference. Today I am comparing a dynamic driver headphone (HarmonicDyne Zeus) to a planar magnetic headphone (Audeze LCD-X) so I will do my best to explain the differences between them and why this is a bit like comparing a Kia Stinger to a Mercedes AMG E63.
Build Quality
This is a difficult subject to maneuver around because of one thing, weight. The LCD-X is almost twice as heavy as the Zeus. This comes from the size difference and quality of the materials used. The Zeus is made of plastic and aluminum with some steel on the outside grill and some small wood accents here and there. The pads are suede exterior and lightweight memory foam/gel interior.
The LCD-X has massive cups with metal grills, steel headband sliders, and a leather head strap. The pads are a giant affair, angled, leather exterior and soft foam filling. Weight sometimes gives the feel of luxury and that is 100% the case here. The Zeus compared to other headphones in its price range hold up just fine but once you get to $1000 it just feels cheap in the hands compared to the LCD-X. I can see both of these headphones lasting many years without breaking but I have no doubt the LCD-X would last longer with all the steel and accessible screws.
Comfort/Fit
This category is also going to be colored a bit by the weight of the LCD-X but not as much as you think. I have a pretty average size head and I suffer from migraines. More then any of these three categories Comfort/Fit is top for me. The LCD-X was never a problem in weight for me in neck strain or fatigue. However, my movement always felt very restricted while wearing these headphones because the weight will pull them right off my face if I point my head down or lean it too far back. There is okay clamp pressure on these which does make them extremely comfortable but like a pair of slippers does, if I want to move a ton I need a bit tighter fit. I had no issues wearing these headphones for 3+ hours but I wouldn’t take them into a 24 hour long Destiny 2 Raid.
The Zeus takes default comfort. I’m not sure how HarmonDyne got it so right so fast but all other headphones should be judged against these. Half the weight helps when compared to the LCD-X but even in a vacuum these headphones are impressive. The pads are outstanding and I haven’t felt anything quite like them on my head before. The LCD-X pads scream luxury but the Zeus pads or just the cool side of any pillow for me. They never get hot, itchy or irritating in long runs of 6+ hours and the clamp force makes them wearable even when I have a headache creeping in.
Sound
This is where the comparison gets VERY unfair and where the money difference becomes very apparent. The Zeus is a open back but there is a lot of stuff between the outside world and the driver including the ornate grill that makes it less open then say the Sennheiser 660s. I think that allows the bass to hit really well with these, with the ifi Zen Dac II’s bass boost button turned it will actually shake your head although I almost never use it because the default bass is great. They sound like sitting in a small to medium room with speakers on the walls. Imaging on the Zeus is excellent both in music and video games, the first time I tried the Zeus with gaming I was blown away by how much more accurate things seemed to be with placement of sound. I never had complaints about the soundstage with the Zeus, again I would say things seem like a small or medium sized room, you can tell there is a wall there but it didn’t bother me before. Clarity and highs are not something I would have said the Zeus does bad either. Lindsey Stirling sounds excellent on these and is usually what I use to test this category. I came from the 660s to the Zeus and I have never looked back, these cans just do everything really well for me.
Now take everything I just said and add some EXTRA onto it and you have the LCD-X. The planar drivers are protected by the metal grill and that's it so they are WAY more open then the Zeus. I had a really hard time describing this next part so bare with me. When the Zeus is on your head it feels like about 10ft out is where the sound stops, hits a wall and between your ears and that wall there is nothing there until you reach the wall where the sound is. With the LCD-X I can’t tell where the sound wall stops and the emptiness I hear on the Zeus is FILLED with sound on the LCD-X. It’s really hard to describe and best experienced in person. On the track Seven Nation Army by Scott Ridley and Haley Reinhart I noticed this the most. With the Zeus it feels like I am in the room she is performing in but with the LCD-X it feels like she is in a massive arena performing and I am the only one there. With how open these are it’s hard to believe but these headphones hit just as hard as the Zeus with bass and it feels much better and more detailed. Imaging on these seems to be just as good as the Zeus, at these price points I am not sure how it can get much better. Soundstage obviously is much better on the LCD-X because of the openness of the drivers, a noticeable difference in the games I play in terms of how far out you can tell some sounds are vs others. Clarity and highs have gaps on the Zeus that are filled in on the LCD-X that I didn’t even notice where there. Detail is also greatly improved here as well and games are actually where I noticed it the most. The first time I put these headphones on and shot a gun in Destiny 2 I was so blown away by how much more detail each shot had that I went to my vault and started just picking out old guns just to hear how they all sound. The immersion factor is also much better on the LCD-X and it’s really easy to get lost in an old game or album that you hear in a new light.
Round up
I will be selling the LCD-X. Before I tried these cans I was entirely happy with the Zeus in all the things I used it for and I still am for the most part. I am not sure how fair a comparison this was because one is a dynamic and he other is a planar but a lot of the differences in sound are probably due to the different driver types. But I am always hyper conscious of how I handle the LCD’s and there huge size and weight are a bit of a let down in usability for me. This is why I said it was a it’s a bit like comparing a Kia to a Mercedes. They are both cars that will get you where you need to go but one is a true experience that makes every drive special. But you are much more aware of how close you are parking next to people and when they break the cost to replace them is a very different story. For me I want to try other planars now like the Aeon Open X or Aeon Noir, something a bit more m and portable but I am extremely happy I tried these and understand the differences, try to hear them if you get the opportunity.
