purplerabbit
New Head-Fier
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- May 6, 2013
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Disclaimer: I received these headphones as a gift from Audeze. They are also not the final LCD-2 model, but a somewhat earlier beta version, so the final version sounds better than what I have.
I've been listening to these headphones for about a year or so. My long-running rig before I got these was a pair of Sennheiser HD600s and a Headroom Bithead DAC/Amp.
At this point most of my music is in MP3 and/or FLAC format of varying resolutions.
I adore my HD-600s, but in almost every attribute, the LCD-2s clearly bests them.
The LCD-2s are, in a word, fantastic. Two things jump out as extraordinary strengths of these visually seductive headphones. First, there is stunning detail at the level of microdynamics. Microdynamics are tiny variations in sound, like the changes in pressure of a violin bow as it goes across the string, or the distinct push of air with horn instruments as the player modulates her breath. These variations are rendered with great fidelity. What this means is that the LCD-2s render music vividly; the presence of the player is felt; the headphones present a transparent window onto the music. The sound has a naturalness and an unpredictability that keeps it fresh, and the microdynamics make vocals particularly fluid and addictive to listen to.
Detail generally on the LCD-2s is fabulous, to the point where the HD600s sound clearly lower resolution. For example, the texture of instruments is delightful. That said, high levels of detail are almost taken for granted in the high-end headphone realm. Certain kinds of detail, and their integration into a musical whole, matter even more. So another great strength of the LCD-2s, capitalizing on its ability to capture detail, is its soundstage and imaging. There have been many times when I have wondered whether the sound coming out of them was in my head or outside it. There is something about the LCD-2's ability to resolve subtle spatial details, which, along with the architecture and casing of the headphone, lends itself to a broad and beautifully replicated soundstage. There is a very strong sense that "you are there," which is certainly superior to a sense that "they are here."
The LCD-2s are high-resolution headphones that are nevertheless relatively forgiving. I certainly have not used them with the reference-quality sources that they deserve, but have still really enjoyed my time with them. I've listened to them with a variety of music and streaming web videos and the like, and it handles them without calling my attention too steadily to the sometimes poor quality of the source material. It's audiophile blasphemy, but this kind of forgiving nature even in the context of reference-level attributes, a combination which the HD600s also have in spades, is critical for daily listening.
If there is a weakness in the headphones, it may have to do with the wooden casing. As I said before, it provides a stellar soundstage. It is also great in the sense that it extends a warm, musical, tube-like sense to the music, and gives it some of the forgiving qualities I just mentioned. It is a little more problematic in that I believe it colors the sound a touch, and its larger architecture sometimes made it sound a little less immediate than the HD600s. Finally, ergonomically the LCD-2s are comfortable, but not quite as light as the Sennheisers.
Having listened to the LCD-2s for a great deal of time now, I can say with confidence that they are stellar, reference-level headphones with an incredible level of fidelity and detail without ever being grating or unmusical. They have the oomph and body of the top dynamic headphones with a resolution that brings them really close to the very best electrostatics, like the Stax Omega II. They are crystal clear while also being forgiving of less-than-ideal sources. These are rare qualities to all be present simultaneously in a high-end headphone, and I strongly recommend them.
I've been listening to these headphones for about a year or so. My long-running rig before I got these was a pair of Sennheiser HD600s and a Headroom Bithead DAC/Amp.
At this point most of my music is in MP3 and/or FLAC format of varying resolutions.
I adore my HD-600s, but in almost every attribute, the LCD-2s clearly bests them.
The LCD-2s are, in a word, fantastic. Two things jump out as extraordinary strengths of these visually seductive headphones. First, there is stunning detail at the level of microdynamics. Microdynamics are tiny variations in sound, like the changes in pressure of a violin bow as it goes across the string, or the distinct push of air with horn instruments as the player modulates her breath. These variations are rendered with great fidelity. What this means is that the LCD-2s render music vividly; the presence of the player is felt; the headphones present a transparent window onto the music. The sound has a naturalness and an unpredictability that keeps it fresh, and the microdynamics make vocals particularly fluid and addictive to listen to.
Detail generally on the LCD-2s is fabulous, to the point where the HD600s sound clearly lower resolution. For example, the texture of instruments is delightful. That said, high levels of detail are almost taken for granted in the high-end headphone realm. Certain kinds of detail, and their integration into a musical whole, matter even more. So another great strength of the LCD-2s, capitalizing on its ability to capture detail, is its soundstage and imaging. There have been many times when I have wondered whether the sound coming out of them was in my head or outside it. There is something about the LCD-2's ability to resolve subtle spatial details, which, along with the architecture and casing of the headphone, lends itself to a broad and beautifully replicated soundstage. There is a very strong sense that "you are there," which is certainly superior to a sense that "they are here."
The LCD-2s are high-resolution headphones that are nevertheless relatively forgiving. I certainly have not used them with the reference-quality sources that they deserve, but have still really enjoyed my time with them. I've listened to them with a variety of music and streaming web videos and the like, and it handles them without calling my attention too steadily to the sometimes poor quality of the source material. It's audiophile blasphemy, but this kind of forgiving nature even in the context of reference-level attributes, a combination which the HD600s also have in spades, is critical for daily listening.
If there is a weakness in the headphones, it may have to do with the wooden casing. As I said before, it provides a stellar soundstage. It is also great in the sense that it extends a warm, musical, tube-like sense to the music, and gives it some of the forgiving qualities I just mentioned. It is a little more problematic in that I believe it colors the sound a touch, and its larger architecture sometimes made it sound a little less immediate than the HD600s. Finally, ergonomically the LCD-2s are comfortable, but not quite as light as the Sennheisers.
Having listened to the LCD-2s for a great deal of time now, I can say with confidence that they are stellar, reference-level headphones with an incredible level of fidelity and detail without ever being grating or unmusical. They have the oomph and body of the top dynamic headphones with a resolution that brings them really close to the very best electrostatics, like the Stax Omega II. They are crystal clear while also being forgiving of less-than-ideal sources. These are rare qualities to all be present simultaneously in a high-end headphone, and I strongly recommend them.
