Audeze LCD-X: A Review
Note: this review was originally written sometime in 2014. I’m posting it here to inspire myself to write more about audio gear and music.
I have had my pair of Audeze LCD-X for about a month now. Considering how few real world impressions of these seem to be available out there, I thought I’d scribble a few words about this rather interesting headphone. I have decided not to write a review immediately after purchase, hoping time would alleviate the wallet-hole-induced-praise mechanism. Let’s see if it worked!
Disclaimer
What you’re about to read is a set of entirely subjective opinions, rather clumsily put together by a non-native English speaker. I’m not attempting to come across as an expert, I don’t want to define what LCD-X are or are not. If you’re considering buying them, I hope my impressions help you decide whether or not give them more attention. I’ll divide my ramblings into the usual sections and illustrate them with links to music bits on Youtube or Spotify, wherever possible. I will also try to provide comparisons with other headphones I think I know pretty well.
The Setup
- iTunes with Apple Lossless files & Spotify Premium on a Mac Mini →
- Generic USB cable →
- Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies with Electro Harmonix tubes →
- Stock Audeze cable →
- Audeze LCD-X S/N 7455430
Burn In
The Sound
Bass
Let’s start with the usual suspect :
“Smack My Bitch Up” by The Prodigy. LCD-X provides an onslaught of chest-punching kicks and very low descents immediately afterwards. Bass is extremely well controlled. Nothing is sluggish, the song prances forward mercilessly. The bass gives it an additional level of urgency and aggression. So much fun here.
Then there is the moment in Hans Zimmer’s “Why So Serious?”:
It starts around 3:26 mark. The first time my jaw dropped during this passage was with Grado PS-1000. Now, with LCD-X, it’s a different deal altogether. The bass is much stronger and extends lower, creating a more visceral experience. It seems to generate significant levels of pressure inside the pads…it feels as if the air is being sucked out and pushed back in by the submerged, thunderous thumping.
Bass in “Juice” by Gyu is immense, like submerging under water.
It floats around the head, whilst leaving center of the stage empty and open for other instruments. One can even hear tiny distortions on the tip of the bass drum sample. What I find rather amazing in the context of the whole Audeze line, is that LCD-3 go even deeper and the bass is even more encapsulating. However, I’ve always felt that happens at a small price of making it slightly less aggressive. I’ll take less quantity and more punch in my gob, thank you very much.
And finally, to have a little more fun with kung-fu-like face punching, let’s check out “Choprite” by Venetian Snares.
Demented music of the utter Canadian nutcase Aaron Funk is very dear to my heart. I was incredibly disappointed that I couldn’t listen to it on all dynamic headphones I used to own, because of lack of bass resolution or punch, and overwhelming sibilance. So, when I played it on LCD-X for the first time, I did not have high hopes…boy was I disappointed seconds later. The exquisite brutality, speed and chaos are reproduced bit by bit, without a sliver of confusion or hesitation. This headphone intends to kill me. At the same time, the sound becomes refined, treble is tamed (but not muffled), and…everything just falls into place. The bass kicks and throbs with immense power and speed, synthesizers cut like glass, snares are all over the place. And all of it with grace, control and zero physical pain.
Bass: 10/10
Midrange
I’ve always been told mids are important for metal. And I suppose I am a bit of a metal head: I happily ignore earplugs at Meshuggah concerts and smirk at youngsters who wear them, infinitely more sensible than me, whilst I bleed out of my ears.
Metal is one of these genres where more of often than not, production quality isn’t great. Listening to my favorite albums on hi-end open dynamics made me pretty sad. Power and punch were replaced with dryness, distortion, lack of control. I had found top-tier dynamic headphones to steer way too far into the land of analytics, and lose their so-called musicality on the way. What happened with LCD-X then?
“Dancers to a Discordant System” is one of my favorite tracks by the mentalist progressive metal Swedish group Meshuggah.
Sadly, it seems they are as talented as they are unlucky with producers. I could never enjoy their music on Grados, T1 or HD-800. Whereas on LCD-X, it receives additional weight, sibilance is tamed and midrange (which their producers always seem to focus on) is exposed with control and a gritty edge. Thankfully, it doesn’t feel like an aural equivalent of chewing sand paper anymore. The music has regained its power, which manages to eclipse recording faults. What is interesting, LCD-X seem to be able to extract the best out of mediocre recordings, but they are in no way forgiving at the same time. I can still hear all the flaws but I’m willing to accept them because the music is giving me so much fun at the same time.
Well recorded heavy stuff, such as early Rage Against The Machine, Mnemic, early Korn, Tool, receives an extra dose of clarity and energy, which is more than welcome. Especially Tool, listening to their last two albums is quite the experience with LCD-X.
I suppose it’s worth making a small comparison between LCD-X and LCD-3 here, because metal music is where differences between these two are quite vivid. The latter offer a more laid-back, polite and almost slower presentation of metal music. It doesn’t bite like on LCD-X, where sound retains aggression, kick and drive. LCD-3 manages to extract the best aspects of poor recordings as well as, if not better than, LCD-X. And then its incredible refinement rounds the rough edges. Don’t get me wrong — it’s not a compromise. It still sounds juicy and beautiful, but the anger is a little subdued. I suppose LCD-3 is better suited for slower kinds of metal. Dense and fast stuff sounds better on LCD-X in my opinion.
Taking a break from self-induced ear bleeding, let’s check out Lisa Gerrard’s “Sacrifice”.
Not only it is one of the most haunting and beautiful performances by a woman who I am convinced is a living angel, the LCD-X manage to reproduce her voice with clarity, realism and fantastic refinement. The voice is smooth, weighted and flowing and the same time.
Let’s put a stop to this unending torrent of delight though! Mrs Gerrard’s partner in crime, Brendan Perry, manages to put LCD-X in trouble. In songs such as “The Carnival is Over”, his voice becomes overpowered, too forward, quite strongly pushing other elements aside. I don’t appreciate that. Also “Chthonian” by Zu — especially when played quite loud — exposes the same weakness of LCD-X. Distorted (purposefully!) bass and saxophone shoot way too far forward and throw the sound off balance. Or maybe it’s a problem with my amp? Or the recording itself? Either way, it seems that LCD-X tend to be a little loose, too forward in the midrange department. One point less for that. Otherwise midrange is great: full-bodied, with texture and energy.
Midrange: 9/10
Treble
I think that Porcupine Tree’s “Signify” is a great example of very well recorded cymbals.
And LCD-X seem to deliver — crashes, chinas and hi-hats sound sharp, realistic, with a great deal of variety and feeling to them. Then there are beautiful, swirling guitar solos — and again, LCD-X produce a varied, fantastic extension, and as much brightness as is needed to make a point that Steven Wilson is a very talented guitarist.
Then there are the under-appreciated Robert Fripp’s solo albums. I have huge respect and a lot of love for his soundscapes, because no other music gave me an out-of-body experience whilst being completely sober.
Unfortunately, my previous headphones made soundscapes sound weak: sibilant, harsh at the top, chaotic in the soundstage and thin. LCD-X delivered yet again. Everything is in order now: smooth, refined and without any unpleasant surprises. Also layering works very well, it is fairly easy to pick apart even the most complex passages and follow any element.
Comparing LCD-X to Grados or T1 with regards to treble, it’s like night and day. At first I thought LCD-X were very dark-sounding, but with time my brain adjusted and the sound is just right now. Treble is super smooth, there is absolutely zero sibilance, details have as much air as they need, without sounding dry or analytical. If you’re a fan of the analytical school though, LCD-X might not be for you, as they don’t have aspirations to be analytical at all. They sort of glue sounds together and spit out this exciting, musical mixture. If you listen closely, all the tiny details are still perfectly audible, but the headphone simply doesn’t focus on them excessively.
Even though I eventually grew to like the treble, I have to take away one point because there could be just a bit more spark at the top. My initial impression wasn’t unfounded and I feel LCD-X could be even more energetic and fun with more treble extension.
Treble: 9/10
Soundstage and Imaging
Let’s start with “Possession” by Genesis P-Orridge & Astrid Monroe.
Okay.
Deep breath.
Upon hearing this song for the first time with LCD-X, I literally jumped out of my seat. P-Orridge’s haunting, devilish voice appears as if he (she?) is whispering in one’s ear standing behind them, leaning on one’s shoulder. The impression of claustrophobia and realism of placement of the voice contribute to an utterly terrifying experience.
On another hand, soundstage in “Damage Done” by Moderat is rather deep.
Apart from the beautifully rendered music, there are layers upon layers of easily identifiable noises, synthesizers, voices and laughter, extending very deep and surrounding the head. Well done.
I wrote about “Why So Serious?” earlier. Apart from the bass storm, the above-mentioned section offers an incredible play of various instruments and noises in 3D space. With LCD-X, they are present and easily to distinguish in space. However, the soundstage is much more compact than on T1 or PS1000. Presentation is intimate, in-your-face.
It seems as if 3D imaging is done very well, the soundstage is deep, although quite narrow. In comparison to dynamic flagships, that is. I suppose it’s a compromise imposed by planar magnetic technology — soundstage width was sacrificed to achieve the more intimate and energetic presentation. I personally don’t mind that, however it is a flaw that can’t be ignored.
Soundstage and Imaging: 8/10
Build Quality and Comfort
LCD-X is serious business.
With wood replaced by black metal, they look more subdued and differently elegant than other Audeze offerings. They remind me of military equipment — hefty and rugged, stealth matte black finish. Headband works well and doesn’t cause pain, thanks to the huge, soft pads. However, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if there was more padding on the headband.
Clamping force problem — a source of concern with LCD-2 (and rightfully so, my cheekbones were crying for help after just 10 minutes with those on) — doesn’t exist here. However, the pads are so soft and attempt to hold on to my head so delicately, that I can’t perform any excessive head movements. It’s best to sit still. Which is a bit of annoyance, since the music LCD-X produce is so headbang-inducing. Minus one point for that.
I should also mention the weight issue. I have a fairly large head, and thus strong neck, therefore I don’t find LCD-X uncomfortable. Although I still have to deduce one point for this aspect — there’s just no doubt they are very heavy and many people will have trouble wearing them for extended periods of time.
Build Quality and Comfort: 8/10
Summary
In short: I’m in love. Looks like even a month of quarantine didn’t help. Luckily enough (for my wallet, that is), LCD-X gave me everything I was looking for: superbly powerful and clean bass, extended and realistic midrange, non-fatiguing treble, great imaging, sensible soundstage, and all that in an energetic, full-bodied, refined package.
The aspect I am most grateful for though, is that they allowed me to enjoy my favorite music again. It’s not an often mentioned symptom of audiophilia epidemic — the better equipment you obtain, the more picky about the quality of recording you become. As a person who has been amassing musical preferences over the years rather than replacing them, entering the world of high end dynamic headphones was a bit of a drag. Crappy 80’s industrial, early 90’s thrash metal, soundscapes, break core — the majority of my favorite genres became unlistenable and I was forced to research new ones. In a way I’m thankful for that (I discovered gems such as Moderat), but still, it is not right, is it? Why should $1,500 headphones dictate what music I can listen to? Crazy. In this context, LCD-X are a godsend. All the awfully recorded stuff I’ve loved for so many years sounds acceptable and fun again.
LCD-X is not the ultimate headphone though. Midrange tends to get out of control, treble could be brighter, soundstage isn’t large, they bet on musicality instead of analysis. How much of an impact do these flaws really have? As much as you want, it’s all down to subjective preference at this point. They are not a great all-rounder, but if you‘re looking for a refined, fun, punchy and meaty sound, they are pretty fantastic.
