Audeze LCD-5 Impressions

roshambo123 · Jul 16, 2022

tinker said: ↑

I wanted to post some brief listening impressions of the LCD 5.

Prefs: I am sensitive to a hot treble.
Amps used: Burson soloist 3XGT (xlr) with 994 SIL in input buffer, Sparkos 2590 in volume buffer, v6 vivid in voltage gain stage with Super Charger for power or Enleum 23-r (se)
Rest of chain (highlights): Sonore signature rendu se to denafrips gaia ddc and terminator 2 DAC (hdmi input)
Comparison Hp: zmf auteur (bocote with Eikon Lambskin pads)

Observations:
- Linear frequency response but somewhat rolled off, slightly n shaped or eyebrow shaped, rolloff is more apparent in the treble than in the deep bass. Though rolled off it is not dark like a meze empyrean.
- Cymbals, drums, piano, and strings are slightly blunted. A little bit on the leading edge but a lot on the harmonics and the overtones. Often feels restrained.
- can get a bit shouty at times depending on song
- Head stage sounded wider than it was deep it’s perhaps 6 inches outside of your head to the sides.
- The clamping force is too high for me I found it to get uncomfortable after several songs
- It is quite transparent to the source, it doesn’t feel like it’s imparting much of its own character.
- Good placement within its soundstage, also the sound stage is continuous and not blobby
- you are basically in the middle of the soundstage, meaning perspective it quite forward
- sounds great with simpler songs like Dos gardenias on Buena Vista social club, busier songs like Candela it feels like some of it’s shortcomings are evident, it can get shouty on songs like Mermalo.
- it’s generally very realistic sounding however with the sense noted above that you were missing something

pairings
- it sounded pretty awful on the Enleum (too thin) it sounded much better on the Burson soloist 3XGT
- I didn’t like the stock audeze cable either it sounded dramatically better with the Forza Claire HPC, everything was better with the Forza layering, width, depth, far less Shouty, etc.

Pros:
- Of the Planar magnetics that I have heard these are quite good, this is certainly better than some of the original audeze’s, or the meze empyrean. it’s also better than some of the lower end hifiman headphones that I’ve heard.
Cons:
- It has a number of issues that make it a nonstarter for me eg clamping force, issues with curtailed harmonics and overtones, certain instruments are muted, cost.

overall:
for me it was an interesting listen but certainly not something that I would want to use on a regular basis, for now I prefer prefer my dynamic headphones though they are not perfect either they suit my preferences more than these do.
Click to expand...

Really good impressions for first post. Thumbs up.

Raidersfan8118 · Aug 27, 2023

I’ve had my lcd 5 for a while now and I’m not quite getting the detail monster that everyone else seems to be. I have to eq them with the audeze presets on roon but I feel like these headphones aren’t sharp sounding. They just sound smooth with electric guitars lacking any kind of bite for the most part. On pop music these are great but feels like on rock and metal they sound weird. When I researched buying these everyone said how they pick apart recordings and show all the flawd and a bit too razor sharp. Maybe I got a bad set?

Boops · Aug 27, 2023

Raidersfan8118 said: ↑

I’ve had my lcd 5 for a while now and I’m not quite getting the detail monster that everyone else seems to be. I have to eq them with the audeze presets on roon but I feel like these headphones aren’t sharp sounding. They just sound smooth with electric guitars lacking any kind of bite for the most part. On pop music these are great but feels like on rock and metal they sound weird. When I researched buying these everyone said how they pick apart recordings and show all the flawd and a bit too razor sharp. Maybe I got a bad set?
Click to expand...

What amp are you using? What source? Without these details, you are not likely to get advice that is of any use.

Raidersfan8118 · Aug 27, 2023

Matrix Sabre pro dac and cayin iha6

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