Audeze LCD2 rev 2 (pre Fazor) Unicorn Edition Measurements

Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by purr1n, Apr 8, 2016.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Ask @Bill-P why this unit is called the unicorn edition.

    Audeze LCD2 rev 2 Frequency Response 0 db on y-axis = 100 db SPL
    LCD2r2 unicorn L.png
    LCD2r2 unicorn R.png

    Audeze LCD2 rev 2 Distortion in Percentage (2nd, 3rd, 4th harmonics)
    LCD2r2r Unicorn Edition L HD.jpg
    LCD2r2r Unicorn Edition R HD.jpg

    Audeze LCD2 rev 2 CSDs
    LCD2r2 L.jpg
    LCD2r2 R.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2016
  2. chakku

    chakku Friend

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    This is actually Beyerdynamic's upcoming orthodynamic flagship.
     
  3. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    hey @Bill-P, Marv asked me to ask you why it's called the Unicorn edition. So why's it called the Unicorn edition?
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LCD-X Fazor for comparison

    Audeze LCD-X Frequency Response 0 db on y-axis = 100db SPL

    LCD-X.png

    Audeze LCD-X Distortion in Percentage (2nd, 3rd, 4th harmonics)
    LCD-X Fazor HD.jpg

    Note much higher distortion (2nd order) with the LCD-X Fazor. The output SPL was only 1 or 2 db higher, so this should not account for such a difference!

    Audeze LCD-X CSD
    LCD-X L.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2016
  5. Serious

    Serious Inquisitive Frequency Response Plot

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    Would be interesting to see a LCD 2F. I was never a fan of the LCD-X.
    Does the FR match your subjective impressions? Does it sound like a peak (relative to upper mids and upper treble) at 8kHz? Are these the ones @Bill-P modded? Also, can we get measurements on the V1 type coupler?
    It's really interesting to see how the LCD-X measures so bad in D2 distortion. Ether, HD600, TH-X00, Nighthawk, pretty much everything measures with lower distortion in the midrange.
     
  6. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    This was Craig's right? Never sounded that peaky to me....:confused:
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    These are Craig's. Bill tried to mod his LCD2, but after a direct comparison, the Unicorn Edition still had better transient response, tauter bass, cleaner sound, and way smoother treble. Bill's modded LCD2 was a slow murky sharp sounding mess in comparison.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    That's the thing. They don't sound peaky or sibilant. A look at the CSD shows an wider are bump instead of razor sharp edges. These do sound way smoother than unmodded Ether C in the treble.

    Maybe the way to look at is instead of the LCD2r2 unicorn having lower treble bump, it has a massive upper mid suckout.
     
  9. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Yes I remember that distinctly at the previous year's CanJam. Bill was a very sad panda :D Just can't do much with an inferior product unfortunately

    But still, I remember Bill's version having a much worse metallic treble than Craig's. The peak doesn't sound nearly that bad, yes? Perhaps it is a measurement artifact a la classic ortho wall. Would explain its superior transient response if the higher frequency peak is moving up and up with higher tension, yes?
     
  10. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    LCD-X I thought was the most listenable Audeze but it was grain city. I could put it about equal with the HD 598 but the X isn't as tonally correct, detailed, or as spacious as the HD 600's little brother.
     
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Precisely. I remember this LCD-X well and brought it to a San Diego meet a while back. I think I had this conversation with @Mikoss or maybe someone else on HF on the HD650 sounding clearer overall than his Fazor.

    A lot of people don't remember or don't know how good the LCD2r2 sounded (at least the A and B grade units, as long as they didn't break). The Fazors, which I believe instituted a more stable material for the diaphragm, sounded worse.

    I have no idea why people fall for shit like "Fazor", "Freakphase", "DSD" or other bullshit marketing terms. I think even Bill Clinton had a saying "it's the sound, stupid" or maybe it was "economy".
     
  12. Serious

    Serious Inquisitive Frequency Response Plot

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    I would bet that the V1 type coupler would get rid of most of the bump around 8kHz.
     
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    You could be right that the peak is coincidental with the "ortho wall" or tension of the diaphragm. We will usually see a vestige of the ortho wall, but we see nothing else. The higher tension of the diaphragm would definitely result in the faster and snappier transient response of this Unicorn.
     
  14. Serious

    Serious Inquisitive Frequency Response Plot

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    So the LCD-X ortho wall would be at 4.5kHz? I'm assuming the 8kHz peak is due to the fazor (or new diaphragm), I think we've seen a LCD 2F with similar behaviour around there (not sure).
     
  15. Mikoss

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    Yeah, the Fazors don't seem to do the LCDs any favours. I hear a "halo" of bass/treble crap that makes the classics just sound more precise.

    To be fair to Audeze though, my 3F's had some major dips over 6kHz... I found that this caused a lack of perceived resolution for myself, even vs the 650's. I remember messaging Marv going wtf... These expensive ass planars can't pull the plankton my trusty old 650's are easily resolving. And that's why I'm happy SBAF doesn't pull any punches.

    Looking forward to the unicorn measurements!
     
  16. Serious

    Serious Inquisitive Frequency Response Plot

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    In what way were the other Audeze less listenable? I thought the LCD-X was pretty unlistenable with its unnatural treble timbre (might have been a bad sample).
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    There were variances. The LCD-X @Questhate purchased which went through me first, sounded plasticky, grainy, and harmonically thin, all at the same time. I tried dropping off the headphone at an MoT table at one meet, and this particular MoT told me to get it f**k outta there. However, other LCD-X's I have heard, such as WarrenPeachy's, and another that Darin Fong brought to my place, had a bit more of that lusher creamier LCD2 timbre. Overall, those headphones weren't as good as this unicorn LCD2r2. The pricing on the LCD-X made me want to barf though. Hopefully they have gone down to reasonable levels.
     
  18. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    The LCD-X has upper mids and did instruments even if they had off timbre, detail, and grain. All LCD-3s I've heard were caves full of mud and the LCD-4 was just 100% dead with zero detail and maybe 1 db of treble in string quartet. The only LCD-2 was cavernous, bad, and running off some tube amp.
     
  19. Audio Zenith

    Audio Zenith Custom Title KGB

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    Finally I see something that measures fairly similar to my cans. No wonder I always liked Craig's LCD-2s.

    Here is the early PMx2s that I assume were measured on the same rig.

    alex pm2.png
     
  20. HitmanFluffy

    HitmanFluffy Hoping to see real genitals someday!

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    Dude look at the distortion on the unicorn, it is infinitely better than the cans you keep trying to shill in every other measurement thread.
     

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