AudezeLCD-2 Over Ear Audiophile Open Back Headphones (Padauk Wood)

I had heard many nice things about this headphone, and hadn't tried open-back yet for an extended period, but the measurements and comments online about it told me that this was definitely going to be my next headphone. After having them for almost a year, I've come back to give you my opinion, so here it is.These headphones are, in several ways, better for my tastes than any headphone I've previously used. I'm not a connoisseur of all headphones, but I've used the Sony MDR-V6, MDR-7506, the Shure E2C, Shure SE215, and various bluetooth headphones that purport to be high quality (Bose QC-35II, Airpods Pro). I listen mostly to electronic music, and often enjoy music that extends down lower than most tracks - by this I mean lower than 35Hz.If you're a fan of sub-bass frequencies, or headphones that sound like a set of speakers, you'll like these headphones. I've demoed these headphones to several of my friends, and the common remark is that "it sounds like the sound is coming from outside" or similar. The wide and spacious imaging is excellent for most/all music, and I definitely appreciate it. One reviewer (might have been InnerFidelity before they were bought out) commented that these headphones have a bit of a "back of house" feel due to the dip in the frequency response centered around 3kHz (goes from 2k up to maybe 4-5k). I consider this a benefit for the type of music and the volumes I listen at - since the ear is most sensitive to sound around 3kHz b/c of the resonance of your ear canal, and thus most vulnerable to hearing damage here - but it could be not for you if you listen at low volumes to music that has a focus in that range.The highlight of these headphones for me in particular though is the bass extension and its amenability to EQ in the bass region. The dynamic range and power handling with minimal distortion has been excellent with the amplifier I've been using (FiiO Q5s type-C, with around 1/4 watt power output at this headphones' impedance using a separate balanced connector and cable, though it seems like these can handle much more). There's a certain experience of feeling bass less than 35Hz on a real speaker system that I have not been able to replicate on headphones, that is, until I got these. The huge drivers mean that I can finally boost the bass (using DSP) enough to replicate a concert-level sound system, including bonus points for going way lower in bass extension than nearly any concert system: try playing a 15Hz test tone at -3dBFS on nearly every concert sound systems and you'll hear nothing since it's filtered out and the subs don't go that low anyway, but on these headphones, you'll feel the pressure and hear your cochlea going into the region of non-linearity, amplitude modulating any present background noise - that's how you know it's working :D.One thing you probably don't want to do with these is slap them onto your skull or put quick and high magnitude pressure changes on the diaphragms when moving them. The actual radiating diaphragms in each ear which have the aluminum traces/"coils" on them are pretty thin for sound quality purposes, which means that you probably should be careful with how much force you put on them. E.g. Jogging is probably a No, light headbanging can be ok depending on the plane of headbanging (forward/back and down/up is good, side to side not so good), heavy headbanging I would avoid.In summary, these headphones have impressed everyone I've shown them to, and they do great with EDM and most modern music. Even if you don't like the factory sound profile, you can EQ them to your liking since there's plentiful dynamic range (as long as your amp can handle it) to accommodate any boosts/cuts you want to make. They sound like speakers, but most likely dig down lower than any speaker you own.

These are it. These planars have the perfect fast transient response for professional work (audio mixing) and casual listening because of their superb EQing capabilities without distortion. Whether you compensate with software like Sonarworks or Audeze’s own Reveal plugin, you can tune them for a flat frequency response when you’re doing critical work, or boost that bass for just sitting back and listening to the latest EDM, metal, classical, jazz, etc. Throw the kitchen sink at this thing, it’ll play it perfectly and take your listening experience to new sonic dimensions.

This isn't the first pair of headphones I've purchased over $500 but it is the first pair I've opted to keep, I'm no audiophile so I'm not going to attempt to blow your mind with details defining the glory of these headphones. They don't give off an analytical energy at all, these are very warm and fluffy and comfortable headphones for pleasure listening. For me everything sounds good across the board, I have yet to find a genre that these struggle with. If I had any complaints at all about the sound it's that the vocals feel pulled back at times and the soundstage isn't nearly as good as what I was expecting, PtP the Hifiman Sundara and the iFi Zen DAC are probably a better option (combined) if you want a wider soundstage and good bass (or simply don't have the crazy money for these). Even as a collector I've pretty much capped my spending limit at $500 as it's rare for me to have that much to just drop on headphones and I'm a little annoyed (with myself) for keeping these considering they cost double that.

END GAME.(Arguably, the best of the best and the last headphone you will ever buy.)

The Audeze LCD-2 is an exceptional sounding pair of headphones. Over the past sixteen months I have purchased four pairs of Planars with the LCD-2 being far and away my favorite of them. The others, the Dan Clark Audio AEON Open X, Audeze EL-8 and the HiFiMan Sundara are all fine sounding headphones but I keep putting the LCD-2 on my melon and use them as my daily driver because they just sound the best to me.I didn't purchase mine here on Amazon, I bought them from another online dealer which is authorized by Audeze and mine were originally in Shedua Wood but one of the rings developed a crack and had to go in for warranty work. Audeze customer service was exceptional in every regard. They communicated with me every step of the way, to the point where I almost knew Mark at Audeze. When I got them back they were dressed in Carribean Rosewood and I knew in advance that they would be coming back in a different flavor. I had been told prior to work commencing that the Shedua wood wasn't available. No big deal, they are gorgeous.So how do they sound? Well, they are glorious. They have a warmer sound signature to begin with. Some may find the treble to be a bit rolled off (I do!) but they take to EQ'ing very well and I'd recommend giving Equalizer APO along with the Peace Equalizer a try. This combination is simple to use and will certainly provide a very easy means to get you started with EQ'ing. You can use pre-configured setting or use the sliders to boost or lower frequencies to suit your own needs and a little goes a long way.As for the midrange, it's glorious. It's not the widest soundstage but it's not bad and for sure it is better in that department than my others. I was immediately struck by how detailed and revealing this headphone is. It's as though for the first time I became aware of how many different layers of material there are in recordings I've heard a thousand times. I heard not only sound in the right or left earcup but I also heard it come in and fade out right between my ears, almost as if right in front of me dead center. Just fabulous.Of course everybody wants to know about bass and these deliver in spades. It is NOT a basshead headphone, however. The LCD-2 won't scramble your brain, it is deep and powerful but well defined and controlled. It's clean and never sounds muddy but is punchyenough to get the toes tapping.The LCD-2 is a heavy pair of headphones and some complain about the weight and how they can't handle it. Personally I haven't experienced any discomfort at all over the past year of ownership and I have a couple of bulging discs at the base of my neck. The headphones have enormous, supremely soft and very wonderful earpads along with a very nice suspension headstrap with really does a great job of dispersing the weight of the headphone on your head. The earcups provide a tight seal around the ear so that you hear everything in the recording. Being an open back headphone they will bleed sound outside of the earcups. You won't wake the neighbors or keep your family from going to sleep but if you are wearing them while the wife is watching TV in the same room she will hear it. Likewise, you will be listening to whatever she is watching.I'm currently considering the LCD-X but probably will hold off until after the new year after purchasing the Focal Elex a couple of months ago. My wife doesn't have the same interest in music as I do and I get the feeling her patience with this stuff tends to wear a bit thin at times. At $1000 this certainly is not an inexpensive purchase but it is a fine sounding headphone.

LCD-2 always has beeny goto Planer headphones.I tent to move around alot but, I have always cameback LCD-2 whebever I want Plainer headphones.I owened rev2.0 rev2.1, rev fazor, and lcd-2 rosewood 2020 (latest)And they just keep getting better everytime i come back to it. If you looking for endgame headphone around $1500, this is it.Highly highly recomended.

Tragekomfort ist sehr gut. Klangqualität ist gut. Der Klang ist etwas heller und in der Räumlichkeit etwasenger als vergleichsweise der Focal Clear Mg.Das Preis - Leistungsverhältnis ist völlig in Ordnung.

Piece of art,that's all I can say

I purchased an older version of these. They were fantastic except for the comfort. but with time theyfixed the problem and today these are almost perfect...