Audeze LCD-2C Classic Planar Magnetic Headphones

Describing audio is as difficult as describing a taste, the best way is after using these headphones other sources sound shallow and have lost detail. Comfort wise I don't notice the weight and are very comfortable, shame about the price only because getting a second set would put me in the dog house indefinitely. I use a size L or XL motorcycle helmet and the head band is perfect, just wish they provided a sizing guide when selecting headphones, I got one set that felt like a mouse trap.A realistic reproduction and are a fantastic for any genre and movies, my amp-dac has a cross bleed to reduce left right isolation creating a room environment and seems to increase spacial presence. You forget you are wearing headphones.

Absolutely no regrets.

My first pair of headphones were a house brand sold by Montgomery Wards department stores back in the late 1960's or early 1970's called "Airline". They were constructed of black plastic, relatively comfortable with foam pads covered in soft leatherette of some sort, they had about a 10 foot wound cord and perhaps a small dial on one cup which controlled the volume. It's fair to say that while they were by no means hi-fidelity, they didn't sound horrible to a kid with a stand alone record player which had a headphone jack.Over the decades since I have owned a few pairs of headphones, though certainly nowhere near as many as others. I've owned Denon AH-7, Yamaha, Audio-Technica ESW-9, Sennheiser HD-535, HD598 & HD-600, Sony MDR-1A & XB9501BT, KEF M-500, & Space ... MoreMy first pair of headphones were a house brand sold by Montgomery Wards department stores back in the late 1960's or early 1970's called "Airline". They were constructed of black plastic, relatively comfortable with foam pads covered in soft leatherette of some sort, they had about a 10 foot wound cord and perhaps a small dial on one cup which controlled the volume. It's fair to say that while they were by no means hi-fidelity, they didn't sound horrible to a kid with a stand alone record player which had a headphone jack.Over the decades since I have owned a few pairs of headphones, though certainly nowhere near as many as others. I've owned Denon AH-7, Yamaha, Audio-Technica ESW-9, Sennheiser HD-535, HD598 & HD-600, Sony MDR-1A & XB9501BT, KEF M-500, & Space One, HiFiMan Sundara, Audeze EL-8 (both open and closed back) and now the LCD-2. While several have come and gone I currently have a half dozen in my collection and am pleased with all of them for different uses/reasons.During my decades of listening to music I have never considered myself an audiophile. I am a music enthusiast. I've been out of vinyl for years now because lugging around over fifty-five hundred albums takes up space I no longer have AND is incredibly difficult for an old guy to lug around. I have owned some relatively good home stereo gear manufactured by Pioneer, JBL, KEF, AIWA, Emotiva, Boston Acoustics, Denon, Marantz, Technics, Onkyo, Nakamichi, Revox and probably some I don't recall. Not much in the way of esoteric gear, I can't afford that stuff. I've never been into album art, liner notes, or analyzing everything to the nth degree. I like to sit down and listen to music, plain and simple. I like to listen critically enough to decide if what I am listening to sounds good to me. I don't put much stock in such things as expensive cables, little blocks to hold speaker cables off of the floor and all that. It's just not my thing. I can't necessarily hear points at which frequencies roll off or where they need to be boosted. If it sounds good to my ears I am happy. I'm not afraid to use an EQ if desired. To each/her own.So my opinion of the Audeze LCD-2 can be summed up simply by saying that it is superb. It's pricey for me and it is heavy on the melon, no doubt. But the earcups are buttery soft and fabulous and quite honestly I hardly notice them sitting atop my cranium after a lengthy listen. I've had to remove them from time to time in order to speak with my autistic son but otherwise can listen for hours. The build quality is impeccable. The wood finish is just beautiful. The overall aesthetic is rich and lush and classic. These are gorgeous headphones. The headband and ear cups together do a terrific job of distributing their considerable weight. The included protective case is outrageously rugged and will keep them safe about anywhere one might wish to take them.Sound quality? They are rich. They are lush. Detail retrieval is so good that I finally understand perhaps what many have suggested in claiming to hear things in music they had never heard before. It's in the dimensionality. It's more about hearing the details of undiscovered layers within the recording. The LCD-2 does this better than any other headphone I have personally heard. I have installed the Equalizer APO program and the Audeze Reveal+ plugin and WOW. The bass is glorious as is, it's tight and controlled and it hits deep and hard without breaking a sweat. It's not the kind of bass you'd hear in one of those bumper rattling cars that go boom in the night while you're trying to go to sleep. It is refined yet robust. As for the mids, to my ears they are glorious in their lushness, wide enough to satisfy. They have had me looking side to side a few times trying to figure out if what I heard was coming from outside of the headphones. I really enjoy the vocals and instrumentation. A piano sounds as it should, the attack of the snare drum is fast and articulate. Strings are gorgeous. As for the high end, I love it. It's bright enough to make the cymbal work crisp and clear without being harsh or overbearing. I haven't heard any kind of sibilance. I have just heard the best sounding pair of headphones I have ever tried. They are powerful and rich and detailed in an absolutely effortless kind of way it seems to me. To this point I have only heard them powered by a Fiio E10K portable DAC. Eventually I will get back to my desk and listen through an Emotiva XDA-2 DAC or plug into my inexpensive Little Dot MKII.Dropping a grand on a pair of headphones is a crazy, selfish indulgence for one of modest means, especially after having purchased the Sundara, EL-8 and Space One in the past few months but I really wanted them and we only live once. Right? Honestly I can't fathom what the higher end LCD's must sound like. That's the danger of this "hobby". I call it "my great sickness"! I had gotten out of the habit of constantly upgrading audio gear by the early 1990's in order to concentrate more on the music purchases rather than listen to the same limited amount over and over and I was darn proud of myself. And then I got into headphones! My wife really wants to know what my damage is!

After a long wait

I’ve been a music lover for long but never knew music was this fun and can’ open your mind to a different dimension that has never been opened before. As they say listen good music.The hunt for a good reliable headphone has started almost 3 months back when I had my first call to Vinit during an odd time by mistake. Even though I’ve never seen him in person and only interaction with him was through the phone he has been more than helpful to help me through the entry into audiophile world. At last I had to take the leap of faith for the Audeze LCD2C as I couldn’t wait anymore and I have paired it with chord mojo 2 and I am more than satisfied.There has been a talk in all the reviews that they are heavy and they hurt your neck after 1 hr. I’ve listened to them for 5 ... MoreI’ve been a music lover for long but never knew music was this fun and can’ open your mind to a different dimension that has never been opened before. As they say listen good music.The hunt for a good reliable headphone has started almost 3 months back when I had my first call to Vinit during an odd time by mistake. Even though I’ve never seen him in person and only interaction with him was through the phone he has been more than helpful to help me through the entry into audiophile world. At last I had to take the leap of faith for the Audeze LCD2C as I couldn’t wait anymore and I have paired it with chord mojo 2 and I am more than satisfied.There has been a talk in all the reviews that they are heavy and they hurt your neck after 1 hr. I’ve listened to them for 5 hrs continuously without any neck pain or hearing fatigue.Love the purchase and the experience from headphone zone

Clarity & Tight Bass Make Experiencing These a Must Listen

The best description for the Audeze LCD-2 is that they are neutral-sounding, with a high amount of clarity and tight bass. They are far from “boomy” but I’d say that’s a great thing; they are probably one of the more accurate headphones out there. For comparison, I also have a pair of Focal Elex (open/less clear but more punchy) and Bowers & Wilkins P7 (closed back/boomy without tonal adjustments). The build quality is outstanding and classic, with a firm but not tight clamping force (although that will vary depending on the shape of your head). I’m looking forward to longer listening sessions and trying different headphone amps with these.

Not your typical closed back

The build is above and beyond good. Not too heavy for me and the glove like fit makes it even more comfortable. It comes with one of the best stock cables as it is strong and easy flowing.This is not your typical warm closed back headphone. The level of detail retrieval and openness is class leading. More spatial goodness than many great open back cans at this level. The sound is very satisfying for long sessions of work, or play.This is not a mobile headphone, but it does have excellent passive noise isolation. It is on the easy side to drive, but I recommend using something with at least 1w of power to really hear it sing. Sounds great low, or loud.Great job on this one Audeze! Cheers!

OMG! Worth saving for, worth waiting for...

First of all, I find they are incredibly comfortable. The pads are soft and lush, the headband distributes the weight well (they are heavy) and I can listen to them for hours and forget they are there. I love how these sound. I enjoy planar headphones however I find some I’ve tried are reluctant to provide the bass I want. The LCD2 Classic’s give me that great planar sound and beautiful, rich bass. Listening to music is magical with these, just as I knew it would be. I tried a pair in the headphone bar, before Covid, and I’ve been saving ever since. It took a while but it was worth it!!

Probably the best headphones you can buy

I bought LCD2C for the second time after almost four years because I tried so many headphones but none suited my taste. I have been HD6XX/650 user for almost 8 years.If you are looking for better bass and soundstage than HD6XX, you look no further. This is it, just buy an LCD2C and be done with it. They have changed the pads, the pads are less thicker now and they are not memory foam now. They have also reduced the weight a little, they are a lot more comfortable for long listening now.The sound is more balanced now, the famous Audeze dip around 2-5k is a lot better now. But I am boosting the bass a little for my taste and it responds to EQ very well.It's waste of time and money if you are looking a better headphone with similar sound signature than LCD2C ... MoreI bought LCD2C for the second time after almost four years because I tried so many headphones but none suited my taste. I have been HD6XX/650 user for almost 8 years.If you are looking for better bass and soundstage than HD6XX, you look no further. This is it, just buy an LCD2C and be done with it. They have changed the pads, the pads are less thicker now and they are not memory foam now. They have also reduced the weight a little, they are a lot more comfortable for long listening now.The sound is more balanced now, the famous Audeze dip around 2-5k is a lot better now. But I am boosting the bass a little for my taste and it responds to EQ very well.It's waste of time and money if you are looking a better headphone with similar sound signature than LCD2C IMO.For what it offers I think it's a better value for money than any high end headphones out there.Damn..I almost forgot. They are including an excellent hard case with the headphone now which makes it even more amazing value.If you are worried about weight, please try it once and decide. Other than that it's worth a blind buy IMO.

Space to breath

I am no audiophile so this review is based on purely personal experience. I bought these as new, open box, returned item at a good price. Out of the box they seemed a little harsh compared to the Sennheiser HD650's I have used for about 5 yrs, vocally they were a real struggle and almost unpleasant although with instrumental pieces across a wide range of genres, they were superb. I am dubious about terms like 'burning in' but they had such good reviews that I did allow them about 12hrs of use while I got on with my life before coming back to them. To my great surprise and joy this seemed to help hugely and the vocals from Buble to Fish to Lemmy had become - at least to these ears - more blended and harmonious.I don't know how to describe soundstage and sonics but ... MoreI am no audiophile so this review is based on purely personal experience. I bought these as new, open box, returned item at a good price. Out of the box they seemed a little harsh compared to the Sennheiser HD650's I have used for about 5 yrs, vocally they were a real struggle and almost unpleasant although with instrumental pieces across a wide range of genres, they were superb. I am dubious about terms like 'burning in' but they had such good reviews that I did allow them about 12hrs of use while I got on with my life before coming back to them. To my great surprise and joy this seemed to help hugely and the vocals from Buble to Fish to Lemmy had become - at least to these ears - more blended and harmonious.I don't know how to describe soundstage and sonics but I can say that they are now performing brilliantly with nuance and power and space to breathe. I have tried them with a Rega Ear Mk2, a Myriad Z40 and Lehmann Audio Drachenfels headphone amps. Sadly I have to report that although the Rega is significantly more powerful it doesn't touch the Myriad for uncovering the soul of what's being played and the Myriad in turn cannot match the astonishing revelation of the Lehmann amp. I didn't want it to be true but in this case money definitely buys you greater quality and immersion.Would I buy the Audeze and full price? Only if I was prepared and wanted to upgrade my amp as well...which I was, so I guess the answer is 'Yes.'Cons: These headphones are VERY big but comfortable. The cord is a strange affair begging to be tangled. They leak a lot of sound so late night listening at good volumes requires you to be in a another wing if you your partner is trying to sleep.Pros: Sound - once 'run in'. Price - nothing under £1000 can be better than these - but the DENON 7200 is as good with less space but more punch and just as much detail.

Superb

I was sceptical buying Audeze for a long time as people brand them bass-canons and I am not a bass head. However finally buying and listening to these is an eye opener into what I was missing till now. Punchy, super thrilling tight bass but also great overall sound. No lack of clarity or muddy sound, just hefty sound. I highly recommend known and established brands like Sennheiser, Focal & Audeze to people rather than others. If you spend too much on any other brand, there's a big chance you will regret it, like I did.

Sweet Sweet Music

I started my hobby of audio last year. I started with a Helm Bold Dac/Amp for my phone so I could see how MQA would sound decoded. I just went up from there. My current setup is a iFi IDSD pro connected to a Topping A90 amp and now three sets of headphones. I currently own the Sennheiser HD800s and the Focal Clear. I wanted to try a planar magnetic headphone. I researched and read many reviews about different sets of them from HiFiman, Dan Clark, Audeze, and Meze. I went with the Audeze LCD-2 (with Fazors and not the classic) due to the price and the reviews of the headphone.Man is was not at all unhappy with the decision.pros--They are beautiful to look at. The wood rings make it a piece of furniture and give it sophistication.-Are packaged in a hard case to ... MoreI started my hobby of audio last year. I started with a Helm Bold Dac/Amp for my phone so I could see how MQA would sound decoded. I just went up from there. My current setup is a iFi IDSD pro connected to a Topping A90 amp and now three sets of headphones. I currently own the Sennheiser HD800s and the Focal Clear. I wanted to try a planar magnetic headphone. I researched and read many reviews about different sets of them from HiFiman, Dan Clark, Audeze, and Meze. I went with the Audeze LCD-2 (with Fazors and not the classic) due to the price and the reviews of the headphone.Man is was not at all unhappy with the decision.pros--They are beautiful to look at. The wood rings make it a piece of furniture and give it sophistication.-Are packaged in a hard case to take on travel if you wish.-They aren't as heavy as many reviewers say planar headphones are. The headband distributes the weight nicely across the top of my head and the clamping force is in between the HD800s and the focal clear. They fit comfortably on my head. I have used them for several hours at a time.-They sound amazing!!! The sound stage is wide and the imaging is very nice. There has been no distortion. Everything is fast and smooth. The music comes at you rich and full. You will hear every nuisance of the song. I am listening to everything again with such enjoyment because you hear every pluck of the guitar, cymbal hit, bass note. I swear I am hearing things I didn't hear before but that is probably just my mind.-The Audeze Revel+ plugin. I use Roon and Audivana Studio. Roon already has preset EQ for many Audeze headphones. The plugin works well with Audirvana Studio. I was a little confused by the price of 199 for the Reveal+ but I found out that you are paying that for the customization of the Aural mapping if you want it to sound like you are in a certain studio. The VST files you can use without paying.Cons-You will need an amp for them. I don't know if that is a con and if you already have an amp then it isn't. If you want to get the full sound of these headphones use an amp.-The drivers on your head are huge. Again don't know if that is a con as they for me are comfortable to wear.-Wish they came with 2 sets of cables. It only comes with a single-ended 1/4 inch input to an amp. I wish they had a 4.4mm pentaconn or a 4 pin balanced XLR cable. That's just my preference.-Depending on how you like your sound you will need to EQ them but that's what the plug-ins are for. Most headphones need some sort of EQ. I am in no way an expert at all in EQ. I listen to them without the eq and with and they sound better with the EQ on. They also sound good with it out.-Not for bass heads. Have very good bass but if you are into the thumping and pounding of the low end, these wouldn't be for you.Having said all that, audio is very subjective. In my opinion, it depends on how your ears are, the equipment you plug the headphones in, etc. Everyone likes what they hear. Some people like bass, some like it bright, and some like it analytical. These headphones are on a little of the warm side but give you every detail of a song.