Audeze LCD-2 vs LCD-2 Classic Sound Review (2016 revision + memory foam pads) 

Keep up the great work, these reviews are really high quality!

I bought the Lcd-2c with the early bird discount when they first came out. Haven't regretted it.

Hey man just found your channel couple of days ago and binge watched a lot of reviews about a lot of headphones I know myself or I am interested in. Really in depth quality reviews. You deserve more subs.

Thank you so much for reviewing these two. When I bought the LCD - 2F this is exactly the question I needed answered. I find it odd that it took so long for a professional reviewer to do so considering these represent the entry into Audeze's full over ear planar sound (as they are the "cheapest", lol). Kudos

Thanks for the review Metal. And yes would definitely be be interested in your comparison between LCD 2F and the Aeolus

Nice video! Excited to try out the LCD-2C!

FINALLY! I have been waiting 2f vs 2c for ages... Please do 2f vs Aeon Flow Open if possible! Thank you.

Wauu!! Excellent!! Actually my lcd2 non fazor (2015) has some peaks and more detail in highs vs my lcd2c. Finally i could made better comparisson betwen both and i found differences with my first impressions. By the way, you have reason about headband, the new one has a better distribution of weight and is more confortable. Thank you so much. Regards.

Hello! I really like your videos! You’re very clear and thourough ! I heard the lcd2 and immediately bought them. I was wondering if you had some recommendations for a good mid-tier amp to go with them? My tube amp doesn’t seem to compliment it well (schiit Valhalla)... Thank you and keep on with the good work !

I'll always love how realistic you are. I'm contemplating selling my LCD2c hmmm..

Hey man I got an idea! So many people (including me) REALLY value your honest opinion on headphones sound quality. So it would be super appreciated if you can make a "tier/ranking" video like dms for all the headphones that you've heard so far but purely based on sound quality! If you could do a yearly updated tier/wall of fame video that would be great. You can also make another one based on price categories or performance per dollar. Thank you for considering this. We appreciate you so much!!

Your EQ is great, What I love about the LCD2C is that you can just sit back and listen to the music without analysing it

I tried that EQ, shit is great!

Are you gonna review ZMF Verite down the road? Would be fun to hear your opinion. Superb channel you got, well done.

I know you recommend the LCD2Fazor but in case that i find an used LCD 2.2 prefazored would you recommend me to buy it ?? Or should i still looking for a fazored one ?

Is that an Aeolus back there? Ah, jumped the gun. Seems that it is. Exciting!

ULTIMATE AUDEZE FANBOY

hope u could answer this question, Hi Ive been think of getting the lcd GX, compared to the 2c it seems its more detailed and less punchy, I dont know If I care a lot about the punchy quality, because I listen to jazz and classicalmostly, So would u recommend the lcd GX for those genres?, or do you think the 2c would be better for music and those genres?, also is it as good as the Ananda or really close to it?

Hey man I know you aren't recording anymore, but I'm seriously interested in your takes on headphones and you're very entertaining. I hope you get back in the game.

Would you be able to provide we settings for the lcd-2 fazor for eqmac?

did you do any testing with black metal? is it even worth paying the price for bm? thank you!

Hey man, In terms of detail, which of the two is better for you?

I am having this troublesome issue where my current favorite setup is still using the HD6XX combined with a tube amp (specifically the Darkvoice 336SE and a dac ofc). I have a huge preference majority of the time to listen to songs with vocals and prefer them being forward. I own other headphones and still currently use them for certain things such as the TH900's, HE560's, HD600's, DT177x, M100's, Meze 99 classics (original pads), and an MX3 for wireless use. The issue I have is that I have quite a few headphones more expensive than the HD6XX's and while I enjoy some of them still for certain types of music, I still prefer the 6XX for majority of music with vocals I'm attached to. Is there any headphone under or around $1000 that you could recommend me to replace these for my vocal listening needs?

Metal571lica!

How would you compare the classics to the HD 660S?

Hey do you listen to any DSD256 tracks? I noticed the sound on the cans sound very different. what sample rate do you listen to most of the time? 44.1 or 96? love your reviews.

Hey metal - which wood was that on your LCD 2F? I used to have the LCD 2F Bamboo which I believe was from 2016 and it sounded very smooth and natural. I just got the 2Cs and they have a bit of upper mid shout. I don't know if switching to leather pads will help with that. I found the 2F Shedua wood (2020/2021) very unnatural sounding. To my ears, the older ones were the best.

Which one out off the two of these would reveal more small details like the backing tone of an instrument or echo? I guess what i mean is which one has more detail in the upper mids 1-4k?

Hiiii! Love your work man! I don't know if you gonna read this, because this video is very old, but a friend want to sell his LCD 2 bamboo for me, the fazor Ed. You think for a end game headphone, would this be the one?

Hey, got a question for you since you definately know your shit when it comes to headphones. I have Sony MDR-XB950AP headphones because I like quite a bit of low-end in my sound, and I'm just using the very popular, low-end DAC/Headphone amp (FiiO E10K Olympus 2). So my headphones state they have a maximum input power of 1000mw (and I think they are either 24 or 40 ohm), and the maximum output power of the FiiO is 200mw into a 32 ohm load, which means that if I want to (and I do sometimes even though it's not great for my ears), blast music (especially metal) at very high volumes. However what I've noticed is that if I play some EDM tracks with really heavy bass on them, with the gain set to high and the bass switch on, just above volume 4 out of eight, on some heavy bass notes you can kinda hear the driver rattling? Is the 1000mw rating the power they can handle before blowing the drivers up (not including mechanical noise) or does it mean something else? And since they have that rating of 1000mw, could I potentially damage them at high volumes even though the amp states it only does 200mw into 32 ohms? Keep in mind though they are pretty damn sensitive at 106db/mw.

woooo, hi metal

Hey Metal. I don't know if you still own both lcd2c and atticus but i gotta ask. Am interested in getting one or the other but I don't which, people who own the atticus and have experience with lcd2c seem to favor the atticus. Some others say the difference is not massive and won't be disappointed by either.

nice vid! it would be awesome to watch AKG 271 MKII review by you :e

I might've missed it in the video, but does the EQ for the lcd2f apply to those from 2016-2020 and not just 2018? Recently got a hold of one without the serial no., so I can't tell which year it's exactly from, but 2018/2019

what year revison of the fazor is it? Because it tends to change a lot between first fazor and fazor 2016 for example,i have upgraded the first to the 2016 drivers,and in mine,the mid are forward just a bit.

Have you ever used eq in a portable application? Like android? If so, is it legit?

I already own an LCD2C, with my absolute favourite headphone being the HD600, do you think it's worth it to buy a used LCD2 on Ebay?

What is your opinion on pad swaps? I put the Dekoni fenestrated sheep skin pads on my LCD-2C and it made them tad more clear and spacious. The stock pads formed a vacuum on my head and that almost seemed to constrict the sound, even the bass. That vacuum also had the nasty side effect of flexing the drivers if I didn't take off the headphones slowly. I used to have the M1060's and venting the stock cushions had a similar effects, I put thin spacers between the wooden housing and pad so there were "holes" on the perimeter....and it had noticeable benefits to the sound, especially on the bass for those. Nevertheless, I really enjoy my 2C's and even more so that I got them for $599 on the Audeze holiday sale...I was not willing to spend 800 on these.

Question: how would you rate these against the Mobius for (default) soundquality and detail? I have the Mobius for a year now and... I had to RMA it because of a build quality related flaw, but other than that I like it a lot! Yet mobius is closed and coming from a DT990 I miss the open feeling. Music as well as gaming. ( in particulary interested in the 2F ) can u halp? ^^ EDIT: I'm aware it depends on my soundcard. I've no clue yet for DSP but I'mm probably get a Magni/modi 3 stack.

So I guess you prefer using the 6xx as a reference over the "improved" 660S? I wonder if I should get me a pair...

For the EQ, do you model it after the "ideal harmonic target curve" like Innerfidelity does in his reviews?

I don't get it. I love forward mids, but the real ones, like the mids on the HD 598 SR and (run to the hills!) Grado headphones. So I always get confused when someone says the mids on the 600 and the 650 are forward. So your favorite headphones would be mids-recessed? Like... V-Shaped?

Have u change your camera ? You have much better image quality

Hey Metal, I too am a metalhead and I have a question: With the new revisions in mind what do you think of the LCD-2F vs the LCD-X, especially for more extreme subgenres of metal such as prog death/tech death and just straight prog? I can't demo the 2F within 6 hours from where I live (rip) but I have tried the X. I've heard the bass is too slow on the 2F, do you agree? Would you kindly just quickly shoot me the pros and cons of each for metal? I'm fairly new to the lobby and I'd obviously prefer to get my feet wet with Audeze with a much cheaper model but I've been hesitant due to the bass comments. Thanks man :)

I started hearing rumors of the LCD2F being upgraded both in the driver and ear pads. I bought a set three years ago, Shedua Wood version. While the build quality and comfort (to me at least) were top notch, I could not get used to the sound and was ultimately disappointed in them. Equalizing would help but that was not ideal and still lacked something, primarily, not being able to eliminate the persistent stuffy sound. I judged these pretty harshly but then again, at 1K, they need to hold up to other serious contenders in this price range and not just be pretty to look at. I eventually sold them to a deserving fellow audiophile. Fast forward to today. I always thought these had great potential and missed them in my collection. I decided to replace them with the latest version. Granted, reviews on the new mods are sparse. I can tell you without a doubt that the changes are noticeable and a very welcome improvement. These sound just right. Relaxed, even, resolving and way less fatigue inducing. Good job Audeze! It will be interesting to see what experienced reviewers think as this starts to get more attention. They now feature Rose wood rings. I like the look better. The case shrunk but is more practical. The only thing I think took a slight step back is the supplied cable. It feels lighter, more memory prone and has a much larger bulkier 1/4" plug. The retail price for the LCD2f is still the same, I guess to accomplish that, Audeze had to compromise somewhere and that is with the cable. This is fine as it can always be upgraded by the user if preferred.

I have the old non-fazor original LCD-2. Wearing it now. I like it a lot but I prefer the Senn 6XX

I own the LCD-2 in Shedua wood, the 2020 version. They are heavy, no doubt, but the weight is so well distributed and the earcups are so thick and comfortable that they don't bother me in the least over long hours of listening. I occasionally have to remove them because either my wife or son have the audacity to interrupt me (LOL), but actually they are quite comfortable. I was a bit leery initially because decades ago I was in a major car wreck and nearly broke my neck. The LCD-2 does everything right for my own personal listening experience but I think it is a headphone which demands a bit of EQ. I think the EQ brings out all of this can's potential. I don't personally get too involved in the process but have found it to be pretty simple to tune to my personal taste by ear. I use EqualizerAPO along with the Reveal+ plug-in and voila. It's not too difficult. I just love this headphone. It's at the very top end of my budget and I don't envision myself purchasing any more headphones. I own the EL-8 and Sundara as well in the planar category, along with the HD-600 and a couple of KEF headphones, the M500 and the Space One. By far the best of mine is the LCD-2. And, they are gorgeous looking!

One day and that day may never come i am going to get LCD2F

value is subjective, i just bought a Beyer T1 on subpar condition with complete accessories for 360 usd, i wont pay for it more, even tho there's a very good sample being sold at 520 usd at the same time. now I found an LCD 2C at 500 and an Aeon Flow for 380. man... im satisfied with my Z7 and T1.

That floor lamp is from ikea? :D

Hello Is the LCD 2C good for hardcore fps gaming ? Compare to dt1990 pro ?

Hi metal what are best complements to the lcd2 classic? (I.e Bright headphones)

nice

I love weird sounding headphones. That is why I own quite a few wood cans. Ever heard of JVC DX-1000?

What EQ do you use??

With EQ can the LCD-X's bass achieve the slam and amount of bass of the LCD-2F?

LCD-GX vs LCD-2F thoughts? The heaviest thing I've worn was 485g and that didnt bother me much. I wonder how the pilot pad would fair on the 2F

What type of EQ ON Windows, you guys are using ⁉️

Just got the LCD-2c from Thomann for $618 as a B-stock/custom-return 🤷🏼‍♂️ cant complain, they look/sound brand new. Using them with Motu M4, but curious how much these will benefit from a dedicated tube amp like something from Schiit?

metal571, do you still love B&O H6 II ?

Hi metal571, what is your favorite videogame?

hey i was wandering if either of these a worthy upgrade over a 58x with both being the same price

I wasn't a 'believer' of eqing.. always thought headphones were supposed to be listened as is. lcd2 the first headphone i got that upon eqing, it instantly sounded 'right'. makes you wonder why they tuned it the way it is. now looking into eqing elex as well to see how that goes..

Have you tried the lcd-2.2 pre fazors?

Where is your dt 1990 pro review?

Whoa you seem a little bit more distant than from the camera I think I missed the in-your-face camera reviewer that we all know and love anyway it looks like you're reviewing a woody but a goody but me personally I would buy the audeze lcd 2c and put phasers in or buy the lcd x because me personally I'm afraid wood cracking

This video is a lot brighter than your older ones. Maybe too bright.

Melda MOscillator plugin (free - but you need a VST host software to use). Allows you to do user controllable sine tones/sweeps so you can EQ for equal loudness using a good PEQ software. Everyone has unique ear/brain anatomy and HRTF (not to mention variations in headphones) that result in very unique resonances. So finding and nulling peaks/dips that YOUR ears perceive from YOUR headphones is the only effective way to EQ if you want to eliminate 'grain'. Check it out. Contact me for more info. Heck, I may do a video about it. Finally, I've been able to achieve the linear bass of headphones and the linear treble response of loudspeakers with this method.

I sold the LCD-2F because it was too heavy, then bought the LCD-2C and that 100g difference and the updated headband goes a long way. From around 30-40 minutes of wearable use time to over 3 hours before I need a break. Now I am using the LCD-1 as my main gaming hp. Better for competitive gaming and still good all around (thou its no LCD-2, F or C). I also own a iSine10 but the cable died on me in the first year and since I cant buy a replacement because they are sold out, I assume this is a common problem. I tried the LCD-X and LCD-3 but found them to be inferior to the LCD-2F (they just dont sound right as soon as you AB them with the 2F). I am still waiting for the day I can get the LCD-2F under 350 grams. That is my dream (I honeslty dont think there is anything better than the LCD-2F, after trying even HE-1000, Abyss, HE-6... Not gonna try the Orpheus, I know my limits... and budget). The 2F sounds like ... sound to me (not a HP, just sound). The 2C is close, but you can tell the difference. The LCD-1 is just a good HP, probably around the level of a Senn 600. The iSine10 is almost identical to LCD-1, but it sounds better to me (I feel the LCD-1 has a bit too much treble energy. No tinnitus, but too much of it). Bare in mind, any of these HPs will spoil you. Can be bad in the long run :D. EDIT: My LCD-2F were 643 grams without cable, the LCD-2C are 540 grams without cable.

I got the 2f for 350 used. Great deal

I bought my LCD-2s years ago

Such a bummer about the need to eq. I understand that trying to engineer it to measure flat out of the box is likely going to compromise other aspects of the design, but that doesn't make digitising all my vinyl and CDs just to eq a set of headphones in software any more enticing. I've been enjoying going back through your videos btw - I like that you're able to critique a headphone while still taking the time to consider it for what it is. I mean, it's clear you like your Sennheisers, but you don't seem to be of the view that everything should be Sennheisers just because that's what you like.

New camera?

Review the value-friendly Abyss 1266! :p

The only thing that is missing in your channel is sound demo. Since you are good at EQing headphones, it'd be great if you can do a sounde demo comparing the stock sound vs post EQ sound. Great content as always nevertheless. I was wondering if you had a chance comparing LCD 2C closed back and LCD X closed?

LCD-2s or DT 1990 pro which is more natural sounding especially for vocals and instruments? How does the bass/clarity compare?

I enjoyed my LCD-2f but after a year I just found myself reaching for it less and less. To me it’s not worth $1k. I would have liked it more in the $700 range brand new. I sold mine and bought a 660S for $300 and I’m much happier and so is my wallet, and no EQ needed. The 660S is particularly sweet on binaural recordings.

Which planar you recommend under $800

Some songs that I recommend for you metal 571 Sleigh bells bitter rivals and bitter rivals rain maker and world party it too late from good goodbye jumbo album is and W.D. Gaster's megalovania-undertale(ammella remix) and assassin's Creed syndicate darling what a night and marvel spider Man sound track and out last ost and out last 2 ost and evil within 1ost and evil within 2 ost cypress hill insane in brain boom library magic construction kit and other songs from boom library and i fink u freeky die antwoord and the witcher 3 ost

👀

I still think the 2C is pretty good value if you want "affordable" planars. There aren't that many options that actually sound good and have a decent build at this price. And no, M1060 is not it. Tried it, hated it, they fortunately broke, got my money back, all's well that ends well.

Hi there......if only Audezes were lighter....

sold my lcd 2 a couple of years back - too big, heavy and uncomfortable - just pss me off after 5 min on my head, so for that reason I avoid Audeze, even though love their sound.

Does anyone get any sibbalence with the lcd2c?

I recently tried the LCD-X and didn't know about needing to EQ the Audeze Headphones to make them sound good. They sounded awful out of the box. Muddy, Bloated and just shockingly bad. Not to mention how heavy they are is another huge problem. You look and feel like a bobble head doll balancing them on your head. I've been considering giving Audeze another shot, but I'm happy with my Focal Clear and Arya.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure the price is truly "inflated." I can get a warehouse in Shanghai for like 200usd a month. Audeze's stuff is all american made and it costs far, far more than people realize to do that.

you always are about to burp!! LoL... just release it bro!

I'm the only one that loves super flat no eq sound ? I never touch the EQ, to me when you touch the eq you ruin the natural sound

I like my sennheiser hd 660s more than both of them. Sold both of them

My contention is that all headphones need EQ lol.

Eq? Really?

Audio crackhead here I own the sennheiser 800s Sennheiser 700 Sennheiser 650 Focal elear Hifiman 400 Audeze lcd 2 fazor And many more am I really an audio crackhead?? I listen on schiit audio bifrost multibit Lyr 2 gold lion tubes with schiit loki.

1more triple driver over ear W H E N ???

Audeze trying to play Apple game. They are keeping their price high. Overpriced imo. They should at least drop $200 minimum.

Never heard them, but propably both crap against the timbre of the hd600. Even A technical summitfi can like a hifiman he-6 can't match it, from my experience, even though planars with tight bass response are extremly fun listen to, but bloom in the bass kills it IMO. Just my grain of salt to people, who don't want to fall into the audiophile rabbit hole.

I sold my LCD2 classic’s I mostly listen any metal genre. They are very smooth but midrange suffers a bit, some recording just can’t handle. And sorry they don’t have deep bass, very flat. Tried it on different amps, still not happy. If u in to metal music like me, try audioquest nighthawk! They are coloured, amazing midrange and very powerful bass, I’ve been compering lcd2 classic vs audioquest! To my ears and my opinion, Audioquest!!! Not even question!

cant ruin the 420 likes so unfortunately cant like it ;)

lcd2 bassier than 6xx?