Audeze - LCD-X (Music Creator Special)

I have this and the LCD-3, as well as the HD800. All are very different. Although I enjoy the LCD-3's sound a lot and it's in some respects (eg handling complex passages with clarity) better than the LCD-X, the LCD-X presents music in quite a different way and can be a more exciting listen. Bass often has more impact, treble more sparkle and the sound is a touch airier than the LCD-3. The LCD-X is still nowhere near the HD800 in terms of imaging, soundstage and sense of detail, but it's a nice half-way point between a relaxed sounding headphone (LCD-3) and a brighter more obviously detailed one (HD800). And they are leagues ahead of the EL-8 (open back) that they replaced.

Simply the best piece of gear I have bought in the last 3 years. Really reveals all the flaws in your productions! Dealing with SO much detail can move your mixing focus from macro to micro, but once you spend time with these headphones and pair it with something like Reference 4 from Sonarworks - your mixes will translate like never before! Essentially a near perfect mix room in your backpack!

Though I have been tripping on & discovering new music almost all my life, I entered the world of “hi-end Headphone Audio” via the Audeze Sine 3+ years ago. Pairied with the Chord Mojo it was a new dimension of music experience for me. I had tasted blood and kept looking for the next “audio high”.
Because I was back into rediscovering Modern Jazz (especially ECM) combined with the Aha of MQA (Tidal Masters) with my first Open Back headphones - the Sennheiser HD650 2 years ago. I loved this new high. Then things changed again. Basically went deep into a genre I had never explored before. Techno. Not EDM. Not House. I was hooked. (It’s been 18 months since ) and I realized I needed a new Audio equipment partner on this fascinating journey. My gear didn’t seem to cut it and kept looking out. Finally I managed to head to HPZ for a product demo of the LCD-X which was recommended by Salim. I had gone to choose between some iEMS basis my online research but on listening to the Xs everything changed. It “introduced” me to Techno in ways I could not imagine. Deep Sharp clear Bass. Everything well arranged giving me the opportunity to enjoy tracks I had heard many times in whole new ways. I am glad I bit the bullet and ordered them. The biggest bonus : ALL other fav genres came to life. Jazz, Avant Garde Jazz, DeutscheRap, Dancehall, Roots Rock Reggae, Grime, Hip Hop, AfroHouse. Classic Rock, Rock. Wow. I normally am not into music with vocals but I started loving them with these (eg Jazz). Reality check :
Just to test out the online reviews which said it’s Achille’s heel was Heavy Metal - especially the attacking Guitar sections. I too noticed that this was not the strength of these cans. But I was more than happy that it transformed my Metallica, GNR. So I got far far more than I asked for. As I “burn” through these (it’s been a week ) I am convinced that I have found my new partner & even my initial apprehension of their size and weight are non issues !

To start with, the cans are huge and comfortably clasped my ears without causing any discomfort for the half an hour listening I subjected them to. A look at the cans and you know where they belong to...a sound studio!

The company has surely made them for indoor use and this is reiterated by the sheer quality of cables, jacks and oh boy, the size of each. The jacks are especially made of metal and give a heavy feel to the headphone, something you wouldn't want to lug around. In my opinion, they are meant to showcase that they are for professional use and nothing less. The cans are planar which means they move the air around your ears and are open back. A person sitting beside you will definitely enjoy the passive music experience, though they are experiencing only some 100 notches down perhaps.

The quality of segment they belong to is an uncharted territory to most of us Indians due to lack of availability of high end audio recording, use of pirated music encoded in MP3s, etc. These headphones are meant to be used with avant grade lossless music and gear and they do their job brilliantly. I would describe my bass experience as a woofer placed near my ear that was displacing real air to produce lowest of base the moment I bumped it up on the E17K. Needless to say, versatility is a virtue you would expect by default from a professional grade headphone and they deliver. For the mids and highs, they reproduced music well from the limited listening experience I had with them.

The current 2021 version sounds significantly different than the 2017 model i had before which was a capable heaphone but had a pretty wonky tonality, fuzzy imaging and also a pretty bad channel imbalance. The 2021 retains some of that Audeze house but now sounds significantly better in terms of tonal balance and imaging. Like the HD650 this never gets annoying or fatiguing (from sound not weight). The solid built quality and 3 year warranty makes this a compelling buy. The new hard carry case that it comes with is nice. The only real drawback is the 600+ gram weight. The LCD-X needs a good Amp and DAC (a phone, DAP or lesser equipment won't cut it). It sounds good with Schiit Lyr3, though to achieve it's true potential requires higher end gear. On a Violectric V590 mk2 (+Schiit Gumby) it sounds superb - as good a pairing as I've ever heard. While it closes the gap but still headphones like HD650 or ZMF Eikon/Auteur are a bit better in timbre/natural sound. Generally for Rock music (also EDM i hear), though for classical (HD650/HD800S are clearly superior) and acoustic not as much.
Note: sudden sharp pressure changes can damage Audeze headphones with their super thin diaphragm, so the headphones need to placed and removed from the head slowly, and also never squeeze the pads together. Burn in is definitely a thing, i would suggest at least 20 hours at high volume (80-95DB) with bass heavy and pink/brown/white noise with the headphone placed on an omega stand.

If you are on the move, or you don't have a treated room then go with these. These can be your best & most familiar critical listening setup anywhere you go! (Better than good speakers in a partially treated room). Even if you have the funds to get more expensive headphones like LCD-MX4 / LCD-4z etc, these are a much more practical choice for an audio professional.

One slight issue with Headphonezone though is that.. Their call center team is hard to get connected to, and has a laid back approach while dealing with customers. But the prompt & knowledgeable owner makes up for it if you can visit their office.

P.S. Audeze LCD-X is better than the Focal Clear Pro or Sennheiser HD800s.. and far better when used with Audeze's EQ correction software on linear phase!

The Audeze LCD-X hits the sweet spot in terms of sound quality and price bracket.
It is easy to drive, delivers some amazing sound, good bass without too much brightness in the highs ( but delivers some neat sparkle if your music has it).
Planars have a unique sound signature but this model is considered a bit neutral out of the Audeze lot.
It handles...no enhances almost any genre you throw at it.
A bit heavy on the head than most headphones but within minutes you get lost in the sound it transmits to the ears and stop noticing the weight.

If you are looking for planars but not sure whether you would love their sound signature, the Audeze LCD-X is a safe bet.
Highly recommended.

If you love to hear all details and want to enjoy wide sound-stage then the LCD-X is best choice. I have only one issue i.e. WEIGHT!! otherwise this is one of the best open back planer magnetic Headphone. Go for it.

Audeze - LCD-X (Music Creator Special)