Tag Archives: audeze lcd-2

Audeze LCD-2 Classic Review

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If you want a taste of the famous Audeze house sound without breaking the bank, the LCD-2 Classic is where you start.

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Fit and Comfort

Well all Audeze headphones have a certain styling, and the LCD-2 Classic are very much an Audeze headphone. However instead of wood you get nylon rings with metal grills, the look is smoother and sleeker than older models. The headband is steel with a suspension strap that is more comfortable than the original. Overall they don’t stand as much as the original LCD-2, but they won’t have any wood issues either, so that’s a bonus.

Build quality is excellent, they are still using sturdy 4-pin mini XLR connectors on the headphones and the cable is thick and has good strain relief. The earpads are huge and made of protein leather rather than the genuine leather of their higher end models. The headband is steel and feels strong, the suspension strap is protein leather like the pads, which makes these vegan friendly. Overall I can see the LCD-2 Classic lasting a long time, the pads are glued on however they are fairly easy to replace. The LCD-2 Classic no longer come with the big carry case the higher end models have, but this has helped keep the cost down.

Again here we have the typical heaviness of the Audeze models, due to their excellent build quality sadly they are quite heavy. The newer headband helps alleviate the pressure better than the old one, but if you are not used to the weight it can become tiring. the earpads are extremely comfortable and deep though, and once you get used to it they are good for fairly long listening sessions.

Compatibility

The LCD-2 Classic are quite efficient for a planar headphone (Efficiency: 101dB / 1mW) but it doesn’t mean they can’t handle extra power. Out of a low powered source they can sound a little constrained and flat, but hook them up to a powerful solid state amplifier and you will be greeted with the smooth yet powerful sound that these are capable of.

Sound

Audeze wanted to bring back the sound of the original LCD-2 in a more modern package, so they got rid of the fazors, redesigned the headphones a bit and here we are. Back to a time where people wanted to sit back and relax, and not worry about the resolving capabilities or micro-details. A time where few audiophile headphones had enough bass response for most people.

Bass: Audeze built their name on this part of the frequency response, a high-end headphone with warmth and body. The LCD-2 Classic are effortlessly smooth down low, with plenty of warmth and punch all backing up the rest of the sound. However the LCD-2 Classic don’t have the headshaking, skull thumping impact of the original. Make no doubt about it, the LCD-2 Classic have more than enough body and warmth to their sound, but they are more restrained and controlled and never become overbearing. If you are fed up of the more clinical and sometimes cold sound of some high-end headphones, the LCD-2 Classic are a sobering listen and a great addition to a more neutral tuned collection.

Midrange: The transition into the midrange is smooth, giving them enough body and warmth to sound pleasant without colouring the midrange too much. There is good tonality in the midrange, vocals cut through without every becoming shouty or peaky, husky male vocals are such a pleasure to listen to on these. Female vocals don’t quite have the required bite in the upper midrange, remaining smooth and sweet throughout and they are not the most aggressive sounding headphones when it comes to playing faster rock music. These are more suited to smoother genres, or electronic based music.

Treble: Much like the midrange the top end is tuned for smooth listening, and they do roll off a little early. These do not have the best extension or shimmer, however they are very easy to listen to and peak free. There isn’t too much to say about the treble on these, apart from if you are sensitive to sharp treble these are perfect.

Genres and Soundstaging

Being a bit of a laid back and smooth headphone these are easy to just kick back and listen to without any fatigue. They are not the most exciting headphones, but they handle most genres with ease. They don’t really stand out with any particular style of music, but that extra helping of bass does help certain EDM and hip-hop tracks.

The soundstage is great on these, with great width and height. Instruments are easy to pinpoint and you can easily pick apart the layers of the recording.

Conclusion

The LCD-2 Classic are a well controlled, but ultimately warm sounding headphone. They offer up a fatigue free sound with good width and height. If you listen to electronic centred music, old school rap/hip-hop and smoother more acoustic music they are a joy to listen to. However they lack a little aggression for faster paced music.

Review- Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back Headphones

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Audeze LCD-2 Closed Back Review

It’s been a while since Audeze released a closed-back model in their LCD range; the XC model was (and is) beautiful but it is a little treble-heavy for this particular listener. So it’s great news that we now have an alternative LCD to play around with!

Design and appearance

The Audeze LCD-2 closed-back takes a slight departure from the XC model in terms of looks; gone is the polished wood, and instead we have black earcups with white chevrons painted on. It’s not unattractive, and gives the headphones a nice update for 2018. The cable is a black and white braided affair, and matches the look of the headphones well.

We’re well used to Audeze treating us with extras such as a carry case and 3.5mm adapter, but this is not how the closed back LCD-2 comes. All we get are the headphones themselves and 3m cable (with 6.35mm jack). To be fair, this could just be a way for Audeze to offer better headphones for less money, and there is always the option to purchase a carry case later if needed.

 

Durability & build quality

The closed back LCD-2 is pretty rock solid. There are no obvious weak points and with care, these headphones should last a lifetime. The cable is similarly well constructed with strain reliefs at the top and bottom, and Rean connectors for attaching to the headphones.

Comfort

With a weight of 646g, the LCD-2 is not for those with delicate necks. This reviewer is feeling the weight a little bit after 30 minutes, but it’s not a problem. A longer listening session might change this however!

Suitability for intended application

The closed back design may lend itself well to outdoor pursuits, but most smartphones would have difficulty running the LCD-2 closed back. With a 70 ohm impedance and a relatively low sensitivity of 97dB, these headphones are better suited to devices with greater powers of amplification. Having said that, the LG V20 does a fairly good job but the headphones could be powered a lot better with proper gear such as a dedicated headphone amp.

 

Sound characteristics:

When compared to the open back version, the closed back LCD-2 does of course have the advantage of much greater isolation but there is of course some compromise due to the need to deal with internal sound reflections and resonances. Bass is more present, but with slightly less detail. Midrange is full and syrupy, and high frequency detail takes a slight hit too.

For this review, the closed LCD-2 is powered by the Questyle CMA600i, which provides some very clean audio and won’t make the headphones any warmer-sounding than they already are.

Bass

Sub bass is indeed impressive on the closed LCD-2; it’s very well rendered and has a very wide and deep feeling to it. Bass presence is enough to make its mark, but without causing many problems for higher frequencies. There however the feeling at times that it affects an otherwise spacious feeling within the midrange.

Mids

Generally the midrange has a good speed about it, with a quality which is neither too dry nor too lush. It sits well between the bass and high frequency ranges, making a cohesive sound which is very slightly recessed when compared to the bass level. Vocals are comfortable within the mix and are rich and detailed.

Treble

Perhaps comparison with an open-back LCD-2 is unfair here, but the open back does do better in terms of the high frequency detail. However, the closed back version still has a lot to offer with genres such as classical, with still a good sense of space in the recording. Presence is about as much as it can be, whilst still feeling like a warm headphone. This reviewer is a fan of warm headphones such as the Sennheiser HD650 and Oppo PM-2, and the closed LCD-2 would serve as a good closed-back alternative for those who want a similar sound.

Soundstage & Separation

This LCD-2 is surprisingly good for a closed back model; soundstage is impressive although there’s not so much of an ‘airy’ feeling here. Separation is very good too, with instruments giving a good impression of sitting in their own spaces within recordings.

 

Music genres good for and why

Given the slightly bass-centric tuning, the closed LCD-2 is well suited for studio genres such as dance, pop and rock. However, it can give a good rendition of a classical or acoustic performance if you’re more fond of a weighty feel within the music as opposed to a light and airy one.

Pros:

  • There’s now a choice of LCD closed backs (along with LCD-XC)
  • Good isolation
  • Great soundstage for a closed back model

Cons:

  • More utilitarian looking than most designs
  • Accessories are spartan
  • Can be heavy for some

Summary

Audeze’s new closed-back LCD-2 promises to offer more privacy and isolation for fans of the warmer sounding Audeze models, and it delivers admirably.