Audeze LCD-X Review (2021 Edition Headphone)

[Cataudio]

Hey,

Is it really a full consensus that the LCD-X sounds ass if not EQ'd? Does nobody like those cans in stock version?

I'm not a good listener at all and my preference is the result of many bias but, a long time ago (years before 2021), I could listen to the LCD-X along with different headphones at a show and I largely prefered the LCD-X, mainly because of the bass. So I'm very surprised to see the measurements showing a lack in the low frequencies department. I prefered the LCD-X over different Hifiman's cans, including the Shangri-La system, some entry level Stax and even compared to the Orpheus. But the music played on those was terrible and globally I believe my choice was much influenced by the music played on the LCD-X and the high volume.

Sorry for telling my silly story but I intended to finally buy the LCD-X. I don't want to use EQ and I wouldn't want to buy trash headphones either... However, at the end, I suppose that, even if they're trash, if I like them that the most important right?

 

[APERTURE]

Hey, its perfectly fine to use it stock!
Im guessing the ear gain reduction/tuning is perfect for you ears (yours being sensitive in this area compared to the tuning of Hifiman).
Imo what benefit LCD-X the most is a low end boost as they are distortion free.
I do a 5.5db bell boost with a Q of 0.50 personnally along with some reduction in the low mids and boost a bit on that ear gain region (around 3.8-3.9kHz) then a bit of reduction at 5.7kHz.

The low end on the graph is flat and linear but if you want some speaker like low end feeling which Audeze is known for I think its worth to at least a lil of boost in this area to get the most of them. It depends on your taste and what you listen anyway, no rules!

 

[Robbo99999]

Hey,

Is it really a full consensus that the LCD-X sounds ass if not EQ'd? Does nobody like those cans in stock version?

I'm not a good listener at all and my preference is the result of many bias but, a long time ago (years before 2021), I could listen to the LCD-X along with different headphones at a show and I largely prefered the LCD-X, mainly because of the bass. So I'm very surprised to see the measurements showing a lack in the low frequencies department. I prefered the LCD-X over different Hifiman's cans, including the Shangri-La system, some entry level Stax and even compared to the Orpheus. But the music played on those was terrible and globally I believe my choice was much influenced by the music played on the LCD-X and the high volume.

Sorry for telling my silly story but I intended to finally buy the LCD-X. I don't want to use EQ and I wouldn't want to buy trash headphones either... However, at the end, I suppose that, even if they're trash, if I like them that the most important right?

Hey, its perfectly fine to use it stock!
Im guessing the ear gain reduction/tuning is perfect for you ears (yours being sensitive in this area compared to the tuning of Hifiman).
Imo what benefit LCD-X the most is a low end boost as they are distortion free.
I do a 5.5db bell boost with a Q of 0.50 personnally along with some reduction in the low mids and boost a bit on that ear gain region (around 3.8-3.9kHz) then a bit of reduction at 5.7kHz.

The low end on the graph is flat and linear but if you want some speaker like low end feeling which Audeze is known for I think its worth to at least a lil of boost in this area to get the most of them. It depends on your taste and what you listen anyway, no rules!

I'm sort of doubting anyone has a natural dip in that 2-5kHz region that equals what you see in the following graph, I'm more thinking your brain tends to get used to wonky frequency responses quite quickly plus if you don't have a reference to compare to for your tracks you know well, then you might end up accepting almost anything as "normal".

 

[oleg87]

I think they sound fine stock - no wonkier than lots of "high-end" headphones.