Audeze LCD-2 Planar Magnetic Headphones (Playback 47)

Sumptuous and Revealing

August 2nd, 2011 -- by Chris Martens
Source: Playback

OVERVIEW

Consider this headphone if: you want a beautifully made, sumptuously comfortable headphone that offers an extremely high degree of resolution and finesse, and whose overall balance is mostly neutral, though shelved downward just a bit in the upper mids and highs—thus giving a slightly warmer-than-neutral tonal balance. Especially consider this headphone if you enjoy spectacularly good bass and midrange reproduction. On good material, the midrange of this headphone seems almost to glow from within. Also consider this headphone if you’ve wanted to try a planar magnetic design, but have been frightened away by reports that they are hard to drive; surprisingly, the LCD-2 is relatively easy to drive.

Look further if: you favor compact headphones that offer a high degree of isolation from external sounds. The LCD-2 is comfortable, but also quite large—a characteristic some might find not to their liking. Also, the LCD-2 is an open-back design that lets room noises through and that allows the headphone itself to be heard from the outside when it is playing. Finally, look further if you require strictly neutral upper midrange and treble tonal balance. Lovely and euphonic though the LCD-2 is, there are competing headphones that offer somewhat more neutral tonal balance (e.g., the Beyerdynamic T1 Tesla or HiFiMAN HE-6).

Ratings (relative to comparably priced headphones):

Tonal Balance: 9
Frequency Extremes: Bass, 10; Treble, 9
Clarity: 10
Dynamics: 10 (though you will need a good amp to probe the LCD-2’s limits)
Comfort/Fit: 8.5
Sensitivity: 7 (the most sensitive planar magnetic headphone we have tested thus far)
Value: 10

BOTTOM LINE:

Audeze’s LCD-2 is hands down one of the five best headphones Playback has ever tested. What is more, recent driver revisions from Audeze may mean that the versions you would buy could sound even better than our review samples did, which is saying a mouthful. If you are shopping for a true top-tier class headphone, you owe it to yourself to hear this one before making a final decision.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Just at posting time, Playback learned that Audeze had made a running production change in the LCD-2, introducing new "Revision 2" drivers said to subtly alter and improve the overall voicing of the headphones. Click here to read a follow up review of the LCD-2 with Rev. 2 drivers.

SPECS & PRICING

Audeze LCD-2 Planar Magnetic Headphones
Accessories: as above.
Frequency response: 5Hz – 20kHz (with “usable high frequency extension to 50kHz)
Weight: Not specified
Sensitivity: 91 dB (1 mW input)
Impedance: 50 ohms
Price: $945 ($995 with leather headband pad option), can be ordered with wood presentation case or travel case.

Audeze Audio Research Labs
(818) 588-6530
www.audeze.com

Comments

agb -- Thu, 08/11/2011 - 18:43

Purists should consider using these DIRECT out of the DAC's outputs. That is, bypass the use of a headphone amp. To do so has all upside and no downside. You eliminate extra interconnects, all of which have a sound of their own, none of it will be desirable. Ditto for any headphone amp. They will all, no matter how well-designed, diminish the sound that you can get without an amp. Remember, no wire with gain is better than any wire with gain. Used as I advise here, the luminosity Chris speaks about comes across in spades.

A good number of recent hi rez DACs have headphone out jacks. The DAC I use, the Wyred4Sound DAC-2 does not have a headphone jack. But it does have a superb, low distortion output stage and preamp functions, volume and balance controls. It has RCA and XLR outputs. One can order an adapter cable to be used with either the 1/4" jack supplied with the standard Audez'e cables or with the balanced cable that has XLR males...the one I use.

Here's a good adapter that can be custom made, and it is inexpensive.

http://www.infinitecables.com/pop/av_xlrf-rca.htm

Oh, I almost forgot. You will also bypass the COST of a headphone amp. An entirely useless device. Just remember to buy a DAC with a good amp section that has volume controls, otherwise you'll blow your eardrums out.

Lastly, and this is no small matter: The Audez'e LCD-2 will need a lengthy burn-in. They will open up and 'relax" much more after a few hundred hours of use.

Chris Martens must have had a hard time curbing his enthusiasm after having spent time with the LCD-2's.

Calling it the "world's best" may be overkill, even if it's true. Steve Guttenberg of CNET called it a "game changer" because it is.

mariuscmorar@ya... -- Fri, 09/02/2011 - 15:31

Hi Chris,

Have you heard the Audeze with the dedicated Red Wine Audio amp?

http://redwineaudio.com/

I'm curious how that would compare with the Cavali.

Marius