Audeze LCD-X Review: LCD-X vs HiFiMAN Ananda
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- Опубликовано: 14 май 2020
- Audeze LCD-X: www.headphones.com/products/a...
Written review: www.headphones.com/blogs/news...
Community forum thread: forum.headphones.com/t/audeze...
HiFiMAN Ananda Review: www.headphones.com/blogs/news...
How are planar magnetic headphones different? - www.headphones.com/blogs/news...
Podcast: theheadphoneshow.fireside.fm/22
Become an expert on headphones: www.headphones.com/pages/rese...
Learn about headphone measurements and frequency response: www.headphones.com/pages/meas...
How frequency response impacts sound signature: www.headphones.com/pages/how-...
Twitter: / headph1show
Resolve: / resolvereviews 
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Thank you! Finally someone who only talks about the things I’m interested in knowing about headphones.
Austin Approved.
Guessing I'm watching the right guy.
i dropped my lcd x on my hardwood floor and it broke the floor.
stay strapped, playa
No kidding?
@@shadouxg7150 dummy
I dropped my Sundara's from my head to my desk and the suspension strap broke so...
@@thomasdavis8117 Hifiman build quality is utter trash so not surprising at all. Had yoke of mine just snap out of nowhere.
Great review Resolve, as always you rock!
Great timing...I've probably watched every video on the "X" I could find this week.
There are some good reviews of it here: forum.headphones.com/t/audeze-lcd-x-open-back-planar-headphone-official-thread/2819?u=darthpool
Same here. Trying to find the best cans for me around 1K or under...
Bryan Tarlowski the Elex is also a good option.
nl_2 another good option is the LCD-GX, it’s a more smooth listen a little more warmth, less studio tuning towards neutral. But, it’s marketed at gamers so a lot of audiophiles have dismissed it, which is a shame as it’s really good. Another Great option is the HiFiman Ananda for roughly the same price as the Elex... and I think it performs better (it’s hard for me to admit that 😣 lol)
TylersEclectic I’ll look into it, thanks!! Researching the BLON B20 currently.
This is the review #5 I've watched today of the Ananda's. Finally all the questions I had answered. Thanks for going into details. much appreciated.
Did you get the Ananda's ?
Awesome review as always @Resolve..
Great review! Will you be doing a review on RAAL SR1a?
Great review mate! Will you be doing a LCD2C review?
THANK YOU. I never knew ROON had preset filters for AUDEZE headphones. I just enabled it for my LCD-2 headphones (streaming via ROON to Chord Hugo 2+2Go DAC). Phenomenal improvement in soundstage and presentation.
oh yea, EQ is a must for those headphones.
Came here to look at LCD-X's, got surprised with my own music :) thank you
I love theese kind of review where we revisit gear.
Great review as always 👍
I love this headphone. I'm getting the empyrean after being told it had a similar but higher-end FR to the X.
Hey bud, did not realise you had made another channel.
Haha watching this on the LCDX
Excellent video with dms yesterday too
Bismillah
Great review. Thanks. It really cannot be understated how much variations exist among Audeze headphones. The one I heard sounds completely different from what you described.
Did you eq it? From what I hear, eq is essential for all Audeze headphones. That would account for the vast majority of differences of opinion.
Thanks to your great review, bought ones!
How are they ?
Just got a pair today. love em'. Was using AKG Massdrop 7XX for mixing. Not anymore. Great review. keep up the good work.
Oh that's a big upgrade.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow this review was the final video that sold me on the LCD-X'S. I was using the HD650s and Pro 900s before that, and had them both for a long time before deciding to step up.
The sound is great, but the weight is insane. I am still trying to get used to it
Resolve you are awesome man keep it up
Any headphone recommendations for a 10/10 tonality? The goal: producing and mixing . Thank you
I would love to see you do a review on the RAAL SR1A Ribbon headphones
He’s heard mine, but, yes I also would like to hear his opinion after an extended “proper” listen/evaluation 🤯
Same
SR1A with Jotunheim R please. Thanks!
"with the LCD-X it is an activity when you put these on"
lol. true story :)
Now that is a real review for the lcd-x. Others reviewers: take some notes.
I heard my first ever planar headphones today and I chose the Sundara, Ananda and LCD-X for my deflowering. I started with the Sundara, a good sounding headphone, comfortable and pleasant but was quickly returned in favor of the Anandas. The Ananda is a far bigger sounding headphone, as if you are listening in a bigger room. Details are refined and exceedingly pleasant. Everything sounds good in these headphones. I was excited. And then I tried the LCD-X. The LCD-X are a bit intimidating to put on for the first time. The industrial vibe and the added weight. And so the listening began: back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. I am a professional upright bassist so I have a lot of experience hearing live music, instruments, stages, studios and the like. The Anandas have a good sense of live music in a hall setting. The LCD-X have a good sense of live music in a studio. That said, no matter how much I loved the Ananda, every time I put the LCD-X I was shocked by the difference. The LCD-X sounds more like a hyper-revealing studio monitor strapped to your head and I found myself hopelessly attracted to it. The Ananda is more pleasant sounding, far more relaxed and comfy, like a big leather couch in front of a fire with a glass of wine. I felt I SHOULD want the Anandas because there is absolutely nothing to not like. They felt almost like the 'healthy' choice in comparison to the LCD-Xs which felt like the choice of an addict, the choice of someone who always wants more. Because I am an upright bassist I am naturally drawn to the lower frequencies but those frequencies have to be realistic to my daily experience and my knowledge of how bass notes are created and sound. The Anandas were warm and smooth but the LCD-X were woodier and truer. Bowed instruments were warm and smooth but the LCD-X's made you hear and smell the rosin. That's why I used the word addict because I felt a little like a junkie and when I walked out onto the street I felt slightly strung out. The LCD-Xs are for espresso lovers, coffee drinkers who regularly drink one more than they should. The Anandas are for matcha drinkers, smooth even caffeine that also has healing properties. While I was in the store I witnessed another guy trying a bunch of headphones and he eventually bought a pair of LCD-Xs. I understood why. Sadly they did not have a LCD-XC to try.
And….I bought the LCD-X today
Great review - we're these the revised 2021 version of LCD-X in your comparison? I'm guessing they were and not the older model used in this video...
What does "Woodier" sound mean?
As a musician you really never do know what you might have to plug your headphones into so these two being low impedance and high sensitivity is really a killer feature.
I own the lcd-x along with a number of other cans and this review is spot on. I use eq, cross feed and midwife processing on all my cans now and the lcd-x while good without eq it really turns into a different animal with eq it really sounds fantastic with oratory’s ew settings and is actually a headphone that responds excellently to eq due to its extremely low distortion and the overall capability of the driver and even the chassis you can really shape the FR and improve phase with eq with no downsides. I also was able to shave some weight from the lcd-x by getting the carbon fiber band and putting the protein leather strap on it as well as the protein leather pads. I also had some carbon fiber grills made to replace the metal ones and I replaced all of the screws with aluminum. Even without these small weight mods I still found the lcd-x to be comfortable despite the weight
What's your fav headphone?
@@gurugamer8632 I don’t have a favorite but I like the lcd-x, and the Araya’s quite a bit lately.
@Tweed Penguin because I also enjoy the process of tinkering and customizing things. and the point is these things are heavy on your head so by doing everything I did I was actually able to shave a noticeable amount off the cans...
Love your vids man! Im a music producer, would you use the eq for production (specifically the one you used in the eq vid)?
why is the left and right channel off in the thumbnail lol
Audeze doesn't lower their prices even years after the release of their products. For instance, LCD-3 and LCD- X,LCD2. The only few headphone manufacturers that lower their prices as years go by are hifiman and audio technica.
The audeze are great but to heavy and comfort is more important. Hifiman is my favorite especially the Ananda and the HS 1000 SE.
I am about to purchase one of these, im new to good headphones watched alot of your videos, i edit videos but also teach online, Im looking at a LCD-x or the lcd-xc. If you had to buy one for yourself, and it was the only headphones you were going to have which would you get he XC or the X
Doinked in the head review on this particular video.
What about this compared to an Ananda using Oratory1990's EQ?
How do these compare to entry level Stax?
Great review, but why do you have the left and right adjustments for the audeze at different lengths?
Mishapen head
@@TheHEADPHONEShow haha fair enough. For what's it worth I couldn't tell before you told me.
I had the Focal Clear. Couldn't fall in love with it no matter how hard I tried. Sold them. Bought the LCD-X. It's perfect for me. Love it. End-game headphone for me.
Why?
Just got mine today. Feel the same way.
Yes why?
@@davidryan5482 Presence.
For mostly rock music, when not using EQ - would you recommend LCD-X or the Focal Clear?
Focal Clear. LCD-X really needs EQ in my opinion.
Currently I have Focal Elegia’s I use for vocal tracking/random referencing when recording/tracking. They are closed back and do sound great but my question is: would the LCD-X’s be less fatiguing/more enjoyable when working on music? I’d be a little weary using open backs for vocal tracking but for working on guitars/synths I find them to be pretty fatiguing.
Hi I am wearing LCD-3 and have the LXD and Elegia's sitting in front of me (just bought the Ananda which is why I am here) So the #1 reason why I use my Elegia's at all with these other awesome headphone and owning the DT1990 as well is because they are closed back and much of the time I have a decently noisy high end PC that I don't really mind but I have a dedicated in room A/C unit and it's noisy.... The LCD-X is OK for editing, many with disagree and claim it's very good but it's tuned very specifically so all vocals are intimate which is good for tuning but I prefer the DT1990's and keep them just for that, my LCD-X isn't that fatiguing but with stock pads my DT1990 is, that said I use Dekoni Elite Velours which tames the treble and makes them enjoyable and usable, most fatigue from headphones come from 2 things, which are treble response and upstream, I use a very high quality but laid back DAC/AMP combo, if your using something like THX it can be harsh no matter what you use. If you care mostly about enjoyment your looking at the wrong stuff and will likely end up with something with less performance, being able to hear fatigue is good because you know your listeners can hear it to. Personally I say DT1990 with Dekoni Elite Velours as backup for "enjoyment" and to turn down that insane treble are GOAT as you always have the option to critically listen at the expense of fatigue with B or A pads as backup and for editing not much can beat it at $1000 or less. Just my 2 cents. Also it's second probably only to the HD800/s for gaming.
Interesting insight
great content.
i would figure that you would compare the LCD-X against HIFIMAN Arya.
i love gaming and listening to music with my lcd-x, zero neckpain still after 7+ hours of gaming. Using a mayflower arc on ps4 pro and smsl su8 ver2, loki and a thx 789 on pc. balanced cable from custom cans and mogami cable for rca signal, using modmic 5 for chat :D
these guys have a toothpick as necks my friend, I can imagine that with inproper weight distribution it would cause a bit of pain but it doesn't really.
Kaizer Beelzebub I won’t lie. I honestly needed to get get used to the weight of lcd-xc. It was overwhelming at first, but a few weeks later and it’s no problem.
@@ryanm9105 i have the 2C which is slightly lighter and I also gamed(xbox) 6hours+ without problem. But at least half of the time I lean my head backwards so I don't support the weight myself. When I leaned forward I did notice the weight after a few hours. But I dunno how to add a mic hehe.
I too game for 15 hours straight and have my cousin hold the cans in place for me.
@@jim8643 i have a modmic on my left side where the cable goes inn :) maybe HELM Audio DB12 AAAMP THX Amp from DROP can be used from the xbox controller to the mic and headphone :)
I'd be interested if you or anyone else could compare the LCD-X to the ZMF Aeolus, which both cost $1200 (though I paid just over $1300 for the Aeolus with options). Having decided to turn my $1200 stimulus check into a new headphone, I seriously considered the Ananda, Arya , LCD-2C and 2F, Dan Clark Aeon 2 Open (not the Clear since I already have the somewhat similar Elex) with the LCD-X and the Aeolus as the final two contenders. For numerous reasons (for one, the Aeolus is generally be considered a much warmer headphone than any I have), I ordered the Aeolus ten days ago., though I'll probably be very lucky if I see it before the Fourth of July. Or Labor Day.
I'm debating between Aeolus and LCDX as well, but leaning towards Aeolus (warmer sound...and well....they look so amazing!).
Would an audio interface like the Audient ID4 be enough to drive the cans for audio production?
The DAC in ID4 is really bad but it sells because of ADC. I don't recommend it as a DAC or AMP but it is really shines in recording catagory
So far especially with EQ Audeze makes the absolute best and most capable headphones you can buy I got quite a few higher end headphones and these are most certainly my favorite these things are crazy the lcdxc will be my next hp I really look forward to a closed back planar they will shake the earth
They will shake the earth... when you drop them
wait... reveal plus is $199???
I'm kinda new to the whole audiophile thing but I have decided to get something of very high quality to start off with as I do not have any desire to get multiple different headphones for different purposes. I am currently using HD650 for all my PC audio listening (including gaming, and I am a fan of many completely different genres of music; I play rhythm games with user-created charts :D) and I like them very much. What's a high tier 800-1600 USD headphone you'd recommend to someone who likes the HD650?
Also, something that doesn't require a super expensive amp to run. I can spare a couple hundred bucks for one, I guess.
HiFiMAN Ananda, Focal Clear, ZMF Aeolus, ZMF Auteur. LCD-X as well with Reveal+. But keep in mind, it is heavy.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow Thanks for the reply! I'll take a closer look at those. Ananda seems like a very likely candidate right now.
That cable for the lcd-x seems better (lighter and more flexible) than the cable that came with my lcd-4z. I guess Audeze's higher end offering imo come with a worse quality cable (not commenting on sound but build quality)
This headphone wasn't made for audiophiles, it is a serious piece for professional studio work aka mixing and even mastering. Its purpose is to translate the mix to any device, hence the tighter stereo image.
I think reveal+ made my headphones sound much better. The mids popped more and the bass sounds more defined.
I'm intrigued by how you calibrate your scoring system. What is 0 and what 10, against what reference?
I stopped using a scoring system a long time ago.
Resolve, with EQ, would you consider the LCD-X or the HD800 in terms of detail retrieval and imaging? I know that the LCD-X has an insane variation, that's why I'm asking with EQ.
Why not 820 or Focal Elear?
@@streamcnoremorse3323 who in their right mind would buy an 820 though? Also the Focal Elex exists, and it's tuned better why buy an Elear?
@@Zerviscos I mix up names. 820 according to reviews is 800 but with good sound. 800 is deprecated
@@streamcnoremorse3323 I think you're still confusing names here. HD820 is a terrible headphone by far, if not, the worst closed-back headphone to ever exist.
Are these headphone Dark or Warm?
oh damn, an Earmen product. I've seen them around and not heard much about any of their offerings. There's the EarMen Sparrow with balanced out, I'd blind buy if it wasn't like 200 bux
I'd be interrested to know how many of your viewers actually owns a planar
@@metal571 he said 'viewers' not 'heroes'
Metal571- Co Founder and influential sponsor of Audeze inc.
whats the headphone amp he using can somone type ity for me plz
PLEASE compare LCD-X VS LCD-XC FOR ELECTRONIC PRODUCER..NEEDS FOCUS ON
BASS AND LOWER MIDS REGION... WHICH IS MORE FLAT AND CLEAN PUNCH
SEPERATIONS FOR MIXING MASTERING BASS......THANKS
I have the LCD-X, 2f, ARYAs and Anandas - and i agree with You with almost everything You have said but... i love AUDEZE signature and their tonality - and i think because of that they are a legend, and their vocals are still sounding most amazing for me. Saying that tonality is correct or not is little too simple i think - everybody ears are different.
how does the X compare with the Arya. i want to make a choice between the two
@@tendayimavhima You need to 'audition' them at your local hifi/audiophile shop. I was in the same boat as you until I compared them (same source material/audio chain etc).
@@classicmartini and which one did you pick
@@tendayimavhima For my tastes/application, and - equally important - the flexibility of being "easy to drive" - that means NOT having to buy an 'audiophile' amp/dac (ie more expensive equipment) - The LCD-X. Night and day. The Arya was anaemic by comparison - and I'm being kind. (Sorry Joshua, love ya, but...).
We played around with a number of genre's - but the best source, closest to what I'm using them for, was this trailer:
ruclips.net/video/wsey3HvBHic/видео.html
With BOTH headphones being driven off of an.... iPad!
@@classicmartini So ultimately you proved that the LCD-X is better when you don't have better source gear, but when someone is working with a good amp and Dac, I think the Arya is just as good if not better. Honestly they are very close in quality for me when run off a great source. Arya has a much better airy open staging quality I don't see anywhere else.
I, for the life of me could never fix the veil, not even with Reveal +. I wouldn't describe the X as odd-sounding but just plainly and simply V E I L E D. I reckon how that sound signature can be fun a times ( FOR SOME ) but I just don't understand how this could be advertised as studio-compatible/mixing headphones...
the ✨ANANDA✨ ON THE OTHER HAND, well in my humble opinion need no fix. I just uploaded my review on them this week, I'm a starting channel, so I'd appreciate you're guys' visit and feedback on the video. I even got a tweet by HIFIMAN on my review
Because you prefer a brighter sound signature. The lcdx is darker , there is no veil. I own the sundara's , anandas and the lcdx and I would say the lcdx is a superior headphone in technical capabilities
Hey what’s the best way to EQ on a mac?
Buy a pc
I think a headphone’s weight is up to personal preference. I find both the LCDX and Heddphone to be comfortable and I like them that way. The HD800 and Empyrean are comfortable too and goes to show that a flagship headphone doesn’t necessarily have to be heavy. I don’t mind the weight at all on any of these headphones.
That's you, some people can't stand any pressure on their heads.
@@Cxs1a3 The weight of a headphone should not count against its technical abilities. Some people can handle it, some people can't, and that's fine; there are plenty of other planars that are light weight. I wouldn't criticize a dish that is too spicy for me because I couldn't handle it.
Andrew, you are a lot into EQ, but I have never understood why you EQ a HP to make it sound like a "normal" HP. I buy it to get the specific sound of that HP and not to EQ it to sound like the rest. (I know part of it to remove elements you don't like, but stil...)
Yeah, it's only if the tuning is wonky in one area or another. I can see adding it for 'flare' purposes as well. But my preference tends to be closer to DF targets.
Hi The headphone show i have chosen theses headset what would you remove from the list. I'm licensing to Rap, Hip-hop, Reggeaton, Trap, Spanish Music. Focal ELEX vs DT 1990 PRO, Hifiman Ananda, HIFIMAN SUNDARA, HD 6xx. Like some bass, vocals and highs dont like bass overpowering my music tho ill be gaming as well on pc
Remove dt1990 and 6xx
@@ritzyeow Why 1990? They're great for its price and sounds nice with balanced pads
I love my LCD-2C the most out of my I think 9 headphone collection. My end game is either the LCD-X or Hifiman Arya. Why the Arya as a consideration? I own the Hifiman XX-Edition and I love the physical openness around the ear and bass and sometimes prefer to wear it over my 2C. The Arya from what I understand is a step down of bass over the 2C but just does a better job being tighter and having finer bass-just less present. Anyone have any inputs on this?
I have the Arya, love it but it's like crazzy open back. Like you can hear everything! Don't recommend if you have kids lol. I can only listen when my kid is sleeping other wise I have to listen at un healthy levels. I want to buy lcd2c for their intimate vocals I love that about my 6xx and I heard lcd2c gives you that as well but maybe better
i have the Anadas and love their concert hall vibes.. i just picked up the LCD 2c so i cant wait to try them... do you think the bass in the 2C is more emphaize then the anandas?
I've heard most of the LCD lineup (minus the 24 & 4z) & they all have that upper midrange dip. Female vocals just don't sound right on their cans. I get that it's more "realistic" because in a concert hall setting higher octave voices are recessed but they all just sound off. It's a shame, because they're the company that got me into hifi. I saw a pair of LCD3s & knew I *needed* a pair of Audeze headphones. Ended up selling them a few months later :(
Well they do provide the preset. One way to look at it might be 'realistic' vs 'audiophile' - the latter being with the Reveal preset.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow Yeah I used the plugin for a few weeks to see if it'd save them but like you pointed out the plugin doesn't quite get it all the way there. In fairness that was my only big complaint with them, but I'm a midrange nerd & if that range is off it's a dealbreaker.
@@devinwilliams4860 you should try EQ apo, perhaps ypu prefer harman curve then they are presets by oratory1990 for most HP. Really easy to use, I made an EQ preset for every headphone I own to fit my preferred sound signature.
@@metal571 I like this guy's EQ's btw, hello again friend :)
I have to agree with you on this. The vocal just sounds weird(?) to my ears.
I watched alot of reviews on the lcdx since I dont have much experience in high end headphones, there is one review by lord Victor halgaard where he talks about how the lcdx has horrible resolution, he agreed that it has a great sound signature, but he says the resolution cannot be fixed by eq, and that it is way overpriced, wondering what your thoughts are on the resolution
Complete opposite of that. The detail is fantastic but the tonal balance and FR isn't that great. You can absolutely fix it with EQ.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow thanks for the reply, i just got these headphones and I think they sound great. But i have untrained ears so that other review had me wondering if I was missing something, and i have nothing to compare them too, all I have is a ipad pro so I don't think I can eq them off that, i will probably have too wait till I get a computer to use reveal plus, thanks again for your response.
great review can you compare the ananda with the lcd 2c ?
I prefer the Ananda.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow hello!
for studio use you prefer Ananda or Lcd-x?
I haven't heard the focals, but I own the X's and I do not understand how it's possible to have MORE 'punch and slam/bass energy' than these if you eq them right. They're heavy not because of their build materials but because of the magnet arrays and those things make these cans like subwoofers on your head with basically no distortion. There can be so much bass that even though it's an open headphone, the pressure will literally break the seal against your head with certain sub bass frequencies on certain songs. The clamping force is not light either, it's a good, solid seal. More bass than you would every want or need, trust me.
Thats weird, both the LCD-Xs I have tried have zero slam and impact compared to others. The bass is present, but its soooooooo neutral (great extension though). I don't understand why everyone raves about the bass on these.
@@jacobholm47 you have to EQ them to unlock the slam. It's very much there and very intense. Once you do they're a completely different headphone. I wouldn't actually recommend these to people if they're not willing to EQ them.
@@shawnbeckman3020 I tried them with reveal plus, which made them sound much better (especially in the treble), but i still didn't feel like the visceral slam was there that I typically hear in my high end in ear monitors. I'm unsure of whether to get these or not since they honestly don't sound great out of the box and require a lot of tuning. Do you have any experience with ZMF?
@@jacobholm47 Haven't ever listened to ZMFs but have heard good things of course... The reveal plus imo doesn't do enough, I think these need more of an extreme eq to really come alive, and they do respond well to it. I put probably 3-4 hours of work into tuning mine until I was happy and I'm very happy now. To give an example of extremity of the bass - if you crank the lows up high enough, the air pressure can literally break the seal of the pads against your head at certain resonances before they start to distort, lol.
@@shawnbeckman3020 ill try to give them another chance. Fortunately a good friend of mine just got them and I'm sure he will let me play around and try to EQ them. Do you mind sharing your EQ settings for them?
The question is why you must use the Reveal EQ to make them sound more "normal"? Why Audeze dont make them sound like that without their EQ? I am a type of person which want to hear headphones like the engineers behind them wanted (that means without EQ) so I am a bit surprised that Audeze cant make them sound the best out of the box and you must use original EQ.
Wtf is "normal" sounding? Why would you pay $1200 + the price for an amp/dac for something that just sounds normal? With a little bit of time, your ears will adjust to almost any sound signature, as long as it's within reason. High end audio equipment is almost always going to have accurate sound with subtle nuances between brands and models. You're never going to line up all of the factors needed to perfectly match what the artist or producer intended you to hear. And most people find that industry standards for tonality and frequency response result in music that sounds less lively. Also, fr and tonality are just a part of a headphones overall sound signature.
All that being said, I've spent waaay too much money on nice headphones and never found a pair that didn't improve with some eq magic.
@@Ton-uy1xd The way the manufacturer intended it to sound
Absolutely loving the sound of the LCD-X but the weight was just too much for me and I sent them back. These are not headphones you can wear for many hours every day.
Recommendations for DAC Amp combo for LCD-X, sub 1K?
JDS Labs El Amp II/El DAC II, closer to $600 for the pair and more than enough power! Just got LCD-X 2021, great pairing I promise :-)
Get the RME Adi-2 Dac Fs
Get the LCD-X if you like to listen one song per sitting. At 680 grams it’s the definition of functional obsolescence. They were an instant return for me (and I loved the sound).
Because you‘re a little pencilneck, grow up
Does it have more slam than the sundaras? Also, how would you define grainy?
12:00
Comparation
The comparation
12:00
How does LCD x companies to the iSine LX ?
Why is titanium not used in headphones to reduce weight? It is actually a cheap metal.
And we can called it LCD-Ti XD!!
I prefer Hifiman in this comparison because at least it sounds more normal.
Hey Andrew, was wondering if you could tell me the name of that headphone stand the LCD-X was on and where I could purchase one
It’s Focal headphone stand. Retails for $299 USD
I purchased the LCD X and was in love with them for the first 30 minutes they were on my head. Then my neck started to hurt, my ears started to sweat, and I began to feel overwhelmed by the level of detail. After a week of ownership I realized I regretted purchasing them, and they now sit in there box untouched for months.
Wanna sell 'em ?
Jim definitely contact me on Facebook chris.forsythe.184
I tried the LCD-X and it might have been the worst out of the box sound signature I ever heard. So if you don't want to EQ avoid the X. And the flip side is the Ananda might have the best out of the box sound signature I've ever heard. No EQ needed whatsoever.
100% correct.
And guess what?
The new stealth magnet Ananda, is a giant leap forward.
GAME CHANGER
@@bradhuskers I tried the Ananda Stealth Magnet a few weeks ago with the EF400 and loved both of them
@@JTB--
Oh wow!
So far, there's been very little on these.
I wonder if people are just starting to buy these?
@@bradhuskers I got them directly through Hifiman. I returned the Ananda SM because I already have the HE1000se... but if I didn't I'd have kept the Ananda SM. I really struggled deciding to keep them or not. They are excellent. Benchmark headphone under $1K imo. I think right now only Hifiman is selling them and maybe a few of the Chinese companies. I'm sure the Ananda SM will be available on Amazon and Apos etc... in the near future.
@@JTB--
I think you are absolutely correct.
At just $699, they are in a class by themselves.
If Audeze have a target FR in mind, why not tune the hardware to reach that FR instead of relying on the Reveal EQ? I do have LCD2 and they're only usable when used with Reveal. I feel this is an even worse implementation than those cheap gaming headsets that come with DSP enhancements, at least these can work by themselves without the need to mess up with software or operating system audio paths.
An open box ananda for $550 or used LCD-X for $1000?
Depends if you EQ
@@TheHEADPHONEShow I don’t normally EQ, tbh. But If I were to apply EQ, would you say the LCD-X is worth that price difference? That Ananda price point is very enticing. But I guess it’s better to spend a little more on the more capable, future proof headphone that you won’t be looking to upgrade anytime soon (if it’s within your budget, if course). I do have a sundara, btw. I know you mentioned in another video that it’s not worth the upgrade to the ananda if you already own a sundara but I’m really looking for something with a little bit more of that sub bass that the sundara is lacking and maybe a little more soundstage.
@@jonmarinos7170 If you do EQ, the LCD-X will be better. But if you don't EQ, the Ananda is definitely better by default.
Stop it! We start to like those review too much, great job :)
I Wonder if you can review an open Monolith M1060C? As it is at a price point which appeal lot of people. Or never Monolith's ones..
Reveal plus isn't needed on more fun oriented EDM and rap tracks, but the reveal plugin really brought out the guns needed for metal tracks. The more Bassy Prog metal/rock groups really shine with reveal.
I actually applaud Audeze for having a dedicated EQ plugin. I think some level of EQ is going to become more accepted in the future. Audeze just decided to take the plunge first.
VS ananda but no ananda review. WAT. Is this audeze promotion? Lol
Great review!
I like the commitment to giving grades, but 8/10 is quite meaningless if there is nothing that scores 2/10. So I would suggest that you provide some calibration values for the edges of your scale (i.e. 1/10 and 10/10) and optionally for the middle (i.e. 5/10). This would allow the viewer to have a practical reference for your grading scale.
For example: you give the LCD-X an 7/10 for soundstage, but you also state that 1/10 is the HD600 an 10/10 is the HD800S (and 5/10 is the MDR-Z1R).
You gave a 6.5/10 in this video. This implies a 20 step granularity to the scale used. This feels a bit unrealistic and more likely is the result of the fact that you don't actually use the bottom part of the scale, so something like the 1-5/10 range is not used, which forces you to split the 6-10/10 range into sub-steps, to avoid using too coarse of a scale.
I hope this criticism comes off as constructive as this has certainly been my intention.
Well I prefer to review stuff I like, but because it's price-relative, average may tend to skew high. Also, it's tough to give something 5/10 if it's not remarkable but doesn't do anything wrong. To me, not doing something wrong is already doing something right. But yeah I'd rate headphones like the m50x pretty low on soundstage, same with hd6xx and lcd-1. I just haven't reviewed those with scores yet. I should have some coming up here that do score lower though.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow I understand. Perhaps what would make it easier is if you don't try to make it an absolute scale. Just keep it relative to what you've heard/reviewed.
So, to reuse the soundstage example I gave in the previous reply, if you hear something that's worse than the HD600, then you can make that as the new 1/10 in your next review. As long as you state what your reference are, the grades will be more meaningful. At least to me.
@@allydea Yeah that's basically how I am treating it. I thought about doing an invariant scale, kind of like what Crin does (it's a good approach as well), but the problem with that in youtube videos is that it doesn't accurately capture how well something performs relative to the competition. Great sounding stuff for the price might only get a 'B' grade, even if it's literally the best you could buy at a given price bracket. So for me, at the moment it's a relative rating system.
Late into the show, but as a scale, the 1-5 grade is more then enough. The 1-10 numbering is just redundant, every number has a meaning in the 1-5, but in the 1-10 its very hard to add meaning to every number. Like, with your example its just the same, but much more evident HD600 is like 1, HD800s is 5, LCD-X is 4, MDR Z1R is 3 or 2.
damn this headphone is NOWHERE to be found on the used market
Michael Drane I got mine used a couple months ago lol
Try head-fi forum or reddit av/exchange forum....if you follow it for a couple of weeks you should spot one.
I'm torn, I really wanna break out of audeze's ecosystem. Not as if I don't love my LCD-2c's and my LCD-4z's. But theres a certain build and QC quality that im used to and hifiman just straight up lacks in that area. I've heard the ananda and the ananda stealth before and I loved them but regularily hearing stories about the poor build and the driver failure, the this, the that, unilaterally across their selection of headphones. I almost can't bring myself to purchase from their lineup. I've been burned by CHI-FI before when my A90D literally cooked my SRH-1540's. I mean, the amp literally killed itself and took one of my cans with it. If im spending $200, $300, then yeah I'd be choked. But $600+ and now im losing it. I'm sure if I bought the ananda stealth, it would be fine. But at these prices, I expect damn near perfection in build and in QC.
Sadly all LCD line need mod physically. I have the 2C.. out of the box.. is not very pleasant. Full of sound reflection due to pads and seal. Even the X said to be clean and clear.. yet .muddy most of the time.
lcd2c or ananda ??
Ananda for sure. LCD-2F with EQ would be better than both though.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow thanks for the answer gonna subscribe 🤗 along time debating between this two a clear answer help me a lot. Some only tell you it depends of your likes, I lote when someone tells you for me this is better
@@TheHEADPHONEShow Been eyeing the LCD-2F for a while now after watching Chrono's review... Are the vs LCD-X / Arya far superior over the LCD-2F?
@@tofulou90 for detail? Yeah but... Both lcd-x and 2f take EQ, while the Arya doesn't require it as much.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow I see, thanks for replying! Was wondering if the better details of the Lcd X is worth it over the Lcd2f? While sacrificing added weight and possible model variance for the X
Just switched from the Arya to the LCD-X. Was craving a lot more syrupy and thick goodness. Arya is personally too anemic for my tastes, especially after a year with them.
But be warned... LCDX SHINES WITH EQ. If you do spend the time to EQ them, with Andrew's EQ preset from his other video as a base. Tune it to your liking.
This is why Andrew has repeatedly said in this review, the X can be fixed with EQ, since it's just tonality problems. But technically, the drivers are amazing. No headphones can match the amount of slam on this pair. Put 120 to +8db with a low shelf filter. WIN.
Mark my words.
6:50 - not the best and not the worst and that gets an 8 out of 10? 8 out of 10 on any scale is pretty darn good. Not the best and not the worst would be a 5 or a 6.
Remember that it's soundstage AND imaging. So like, stage width is decent, but the center image is a bit abrupt. For a planar at this price, it's decent and I think 8/10 is fair. The Focal Clear is a headphone that should score 5/10 for soundstage, but then again the imaging is excellent - better than on this, so it would make up some ground there.
Here's the thing.
The LCD x is $500 more than the ananda, so the fact that he's comparing the two, is reason alone to buy the new stealth magnet Ananda!
He's using the Ananda's as a point of reference dude what are you even talking about?
@@stevendavis1135
To help others understand that for just $699, nothing beats the new stealth magnet Anandas. Sure you can spend $1400,
BUT at just $699, the Anandas are END GAME.
LCD-X vs Arya: Which is better? TELL ME NOW!!!!!
definitely arya
definitely arya +1, spending $1k with a pair of unusable tonality headphone is just stupid.
@@llevine6510 LCD-X have mutch better tonality than any hifiman for me ; )... Hifimans are great but i can't live with them without EQ - and any amount of EQ can bring the body and intimacy of LCD-X or LCD-2f in Hifiman's. (I have Ananda, ARYA, and HE500)
if You love vocals - Audeze is the king for me, and i would took even LCD-2f over ARYA, but LCD-X are better - full bodied.
so which one are you going to go for. i am still stuck between the two
I can see the appeal in EQ, but I see it kind of as a knock on Audeze that, when you're getting up that high in price, the headphones still basically requires EQing to be worth listening to. I'd much prefer paying a little more for a better out-of-the-box sound quality, and I also generally find that EQing can easily cause headphones to sound more digital in their timbre/tone--although I don't know how the Audeze Reveal+ sounds, only speaking from general experience
I kind of disagree. Almost every headphone can be improved with EQ, regardless of the price. Audeze just does it for you. As for the digital thing, no that's only the case if something gets resampled, like if you're using a virtual audio loop.
I have this headphone combined with RME ADI 2 DAC. I was against EQ at the beginning but when applied I changed totally perspective about it. These headphones just need a little help and from the moment that they respond without distortion, why not? Also the slam after EQ is on another level..
People's ears are different man. Not eqing is like not treating your speaker room or adjusting speaker placement.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow There is a difference between two headphones that one being "not worth listening to"(as referred to the LCD-X, which I also agree) and the other "pretty good" without eq(like Arya and Aeolus/Auteur around the price point), even though maybe they both scale to "very good" with eq in the end. Audeze releasing an eq profile is like admitting they messed up with the frequency response IMO, why don't they tune their headphone to their desire curve at the beginning? It just too much hassle to just get things working for $1k.
I agree. You pay tons of money for a device that you still need to adjust later.
Why do you have to make up new meanings? First, you use dynamics as a descriptor for slam instead of volume contrasts, and now instrument separation has become detail retrieval.
Uhh no? I don't refer to instrument separation as detail retrieval. Those are two different things. Small gradations of volume are microdynamics. I've talked about this in the past. Dynamics as referred to here is closer to 'macrodynamics'.
Disagree...Focal Clears are much better at detail retrieval. Also, many don't use EQ...so having to rely on the Reveal software or EQ to fix the timbre of a $1,200 headphone is ludicrous to me.
Focal clear is great, but there's something to be said for planar image clarity and separation.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow does the ananda or arya do the separation with precise imaging like the lcd x? The LCD X spoiled me by revealing blackness between layers and notes and I can't get over it. I need that sound in a better usable build. I understand that a sacrifice in slam will have to be made. Really just wondering if the ananda match the technical capability of the audeze while being cheaper.
This one comes in at around 630 grams. At that point sound is irrelevant, it's a neck injury in the making.