Audeze LCD-5 Speculation

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by roshambo123, Sep 20, 2021.

?

If SBAF can swing it, what should we splurge on?

  1. Audeze LCD-5

    47.8%
  2. Abyss Diana-Phi

    21.2%
  3. No one here has good enough gear for such awesome headphones

    6.2%
  4. Let's spend it on hookers and blow

    32.7%
Multiple votes are allowed.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    2,763
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Audeze has announced the LCD-5, a new flagship magnetic planar headphone with a significant weight reduction over the old LCD-4 (690 grams down to 420 grams). I haven't heard them yet but I'm looking for the opportunity to demo these at theSourceAV when I get the chance. The SourceAV states they do not have a pair in-house yet but this post can serve as a bookmark for future impressions.

    I can only conjecture, but based on the new concave pad design and stated new driver design, I wouldn't expect these to sound the same as the LCD-4 or LCD-4z. Audeze's site states the LCD-5 has a fazor array and "new patent pending Parallel Uniforce™ voice coils."

    Audeze also states there is an improvement in "upper midrange response" which I would hope means we won't get a Grand Canyon sized gap of the sort I heard on a recent production LCD-2. My question is also if they will preserve any of the lush, dark, but detailed sound that I thought the LCD-4 did really well, or go in a new direction.

    The LCD-5 impedance has dropped significantly to 14 ohms, a major change from the 200 ohms of the LCD-4, and even lower than the 15 ohms of the LCD-4z. Surprisingly, the LCD-5's are quite insensitive at only 90 db/1mW.

    The headband design has also been changed and I'd hope does a better job on comfort, weight, and ease of adjustment, which the old Audeze headbands never got top marks for. We will see.

    Preorder price on the Audeze website is $4,500 USD, making them more expensive than the LCD-4's.


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2021
  2. Philimon

    Philimon Friend

    Pyrate Contributor Banned
    Joined:
    May 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,092
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Aaaand no impressions.
     
    • Like Like x 6
    • Epic Epic x 2
    • Dislike Dislike x 1
    • List
  3. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    2,763
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    It's not available yet. I'm creating the thread to stimulate any discussion beforehand and create the placeholder. I did this with the Mackie MHA200 and it wasn't an issue for people.
     
  4. señorhifi

    señorhifi Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2020
    Likes Received:
    381
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Spain
    Maybe this is gonna become similar to the HD8XX thread. Nobody has it (apart from selected people) yet there are several pages on that thread and discussions everywhere. Gee wait for the darn thing to come out first and listen to it :confused:
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Epic Epic x 2
    • List
  5. crenca

    crenca Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 26, 2017
    Likes Received:
    3,825
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Southern New Mexico
    I wonder if they will be limited to mini speaker amp designs like the Jot.
     
  6. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,274
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bird-watcher's paradise
    They remind me of the pads on the Abyss Diana.
     
  7. ufospls2

    ufospls2 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    2,010
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Canada
    Me too. This is the main thing I'm a bit worried about, as the pads have less surface area actually taking the clamp pressure of the headphones. This is why the DMS mod Diana pads were popular, and there is a new Diana Pad currently shipping and on sale.

    Will have to wait and see how it feels.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    • Changed title of thread from impressions to speculation to avoid misleading clickbait.
    • Also added poll for loaner choice. We did Utopia once. Maybe we can swing a TOTL planar.
     
    • Like Like x 9
    • Epic Epic x 3
    • List
  9. crenca

    crenca Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 26, 2017
    Likes Received:
    3,825
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Southern New Mexico
    Tough choice. Neither gives off a true House Harkonnen vibe, so no help there...seriously I voted for the Abyss. I am sort of bored with Audeze, or rather feel like we know what we will get - a tweaked LCD4 sound signature, possibly a few small evolutionary steps on the technicalities. The Abyss has more potential upside I feel like.
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Dislike Dislike x 2
    • List
  10. daduy

    daduy Acquaintance

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2019
    Likes Received:
    64
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    NZ
    Just a rando opinion, but agreed with Crenca...felt that LCD 5 will be just a better LCD 4, while there hasn't been a lot of exposure on the Abyss Diana.
     
  11. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,697
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Arizona
    Well.... of all the new 'flagships' - two of them are coming out of house Audeze with a lot of promise. One is a chance to rewrite the limits of the past in electrostatic technology and the other is using technology that nobody is even really at liberty to talk about yet it seems.

    The third headphone I'd love to see on loaner would be the RAAL Circumaural. The SR1a basically does away with the limits of most other headphone tech we've heard at a price that totally fits WTF it is. Unfortunately it is meant for a specific crowd or situation (IMO) A true ribbon circumaural has so much potential to please the toughest of mid-heads.

    I'm quite pleased with the LCD-R, it's not as resolute as the SR1a, but even talking in the same sentence means something... let me tell ya. The SR1a is a clearer window than the HE-1 and K1000.

    The HEDD gets mixed reviews and I'd possibly wait for a gen 2 product before asking for a loaner here.
     
  12. Pancakes

    Pancakes Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2020
    Likes Received:
    1,417
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Atl
    The HEDD at 718g is an absolute brick. Not sure if it even makes sense for a lot of people. I remember the designers stating somewhere that addressing weight will be priority for V2.
     
  13. crenca

    crenca Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 26, 2017
    Likes Received:
    3,825
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Southern New Mexico
    No offense, but this strikes me as add copy :rolleyes: I mean not one but two (2!) "birth of a new world" HP's/tech from the same company in the same year! :D
     
  14. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,697
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Arizona
    I made the decision on my own and purchased the LCD-R, you can choose to be or not be excited. I choose the former.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2021
  15. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    2,763
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    For the record, I wasn't trying to create clickbait. I was trying to open a thread on something I was interested in and was trying to get a copy of, and was trying to keep discussion in one thread as things evolve. I also disagree with people who say don't talk about things if you haven't heard it. Talking about things you don't have is often a large part of a lot of hobbies, this one included.

    Edit: I'll also add that I've been really surprised by how much interest there is in the LCD-5. I honestly didn't think SBAF liked the LCD-4 very much so I expected nobody would reply to this thread at all for days/weeks. If I've made an error in judgment, it's failing to realize that people would actually give a shit.
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2021
  16. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,239
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    I have a relationship with Audeze. We could probably get a Demo LCD-5. They were previously offering us an LCD-4 so I don't know why an LCD-5 wouldn't be possible. So please don't buy one, go with the Diana.
     
    • Like Like x 13
    • Epic Epic x 4
    • Dislike Dislike x 1
    • List
  17. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,831
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    East Coast
    Just some thoughts without ANY first hand experience..
    • To me it seems very clear that Audeze is trying to change themselves in a different voicing direction. Prelim measurements from Jude for both CRBN and LCD-5 are kinda convincing even I take potential human error into consideration. I don't know yet if it's better. But I do believe CRBN/LCD5 sound different from what we can expect from openback LCDs. At least in tonality. I might be biased in that I am more favorable toward Audeze than to DCA or Stax.
    • LCD-5's new pads look interesting.. And they did look very similar to Diana's. I'm a little concerned that those diana-like pads make less solid seal on some head shapes.. and perhaps create high sensitivity to positional variation.
    • That said, I'm secretly voting for Diana loaner. Rationale: (1) diana is much lighter (300-some grams if I recall correctly), (2) a little more reachable price (in case I like them), and (3) abyss seems less dependent on Jude's home shopping advertisement service.. lol.
    PS. Didn't know diana comes with two different trims. I may be more interested in cheaper ones (v2) instead of 4k one (phi).
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2021
  18. Roderick

    Roderick Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2018
    Likes Received:
    208
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Finland
    I had a change to compare LCD-R, HEDDphone, Utopia and Arya V2 for two weeks at my home. I have previously owned Utopia and it's my all timef avorite. I really liked LCD-R, first Audeze I've cared for actually. LCD-2c,LCD-X(2020) and LCD-3f were quite disappointing but thats mostly because I dislike that dark Audeze soundsignature.

    LCD-R is very clear sounding. I never thought there is a veil in utopia but next to LCD-R it feels like there is. Of course it is possible that it was difference between liquid platinum and jotunheim I was hearing. Utopia images better than LCD-R and maybe has a slight edge on high treble resolution. Hard to tell for sure as utopia is brighter and that might have fooled me. If LCD-R were available and did not have those earlobe piercing fazors sticking out, deciding between Utopia and Audeze would be difficult for me.

    HEDDphone is weird but in a good way. To me it kind of sounds like balanced armature but with timbre of a dynamic driver. Bass is exceptional but could use more quantity. There is however an unfortunate haze over the whole spectrum, mids can get shouty and sometimes it feels something is very off with the highs. I think that haziness might be caused by the back grille. It's reminiscent of old Hifiman design. If I ever get a out of warranty unit that back cover will go. Comfort sucks of course. I never had problems with LCD-3 with non-suspension headband but HEDDphone actually gave me neck pain after few days.

    As of Arya's, I did not care for it much. Dull. No standout flaws but it just does nothing for me. Sounds like a soulless tech demo. I rather listen to he500.

    If LCD-5 is improvement over LCD-R with less weight, not tied to a one amp and more comfortable...one could propably do worse for $4500.
     
    • Like Like x 8
    • Epic Epic x 1
    • List
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2021
  19. 9suns

    9suns [insert unearned title here]

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,754
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    EU
    Get the LCD-5.

    AFAIK, the LCD-R is very different (in a good way) to the other LCD headphones according to those who heard it, and the LCD-5 is literally the LCD-R on steroids. Why would someone want to test the Diana when it's not even TOTL and even Abyss doesn't want to send it?.
     
  20. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2020
    Likes Received:
    12,239
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Home Page:
    did you read my post? We can get an LCD-5 demo from Audeze. We don’t have unlimited funds to just throw at stuff from companies I have a good relationship with.
     
    • Like Like x 7
    • Epic Epic x 1
    • List
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page