Audeze LCD-X 2021 Edition Headphone Review

Thanks to Head-Fi user sa11297 for the loan of LCD-X!
My written review of old LCD-X: forum.hifiguides.com/t/audeze...
Audeze LCD-X Website: www.audeze.com/products/lcd-x
My ZMF Auteur review: • ZMF Auteur Headphone R...
My Focal Clear MG review: • Focal Clear MG Headpho...
My written HiFiMan Arya V2 review: www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifi...
Channel Intro: • Channel Introduction
My Hearing Quirks: • WaveTheory's Hearing Q...

[@wavetheorysound]

Review of LCD-X ends just before 20:00. Last few minutes are about Reveal EQ. Enjoy!

[@tomdavis6371]

BEST $1000 I have ever spent. Yep, just a grand. Brand NEW for $1000. My purchase was for the "Creator's Package" with the Economy Case. They are heavy but not to the point it is an issue for me. It sounds terrific out of the box but can benefit from some EQ as any headphone can.

[@AQUPAS]

I might invest in a pair w the same creators package, how have they held up for the time you've had them? Thanks.

[@tomdavis6371]

They are currently on their way back to Chicago from California after having to be shipped off for warranty work to reattch an ear pad and to have a driver replaced. One day the driver just wouldn't work. That said, customer service has been quick to get them turned around. My beef is the cost incurred to ship them in order to be repaired, it was $65.10 including signature and insurance. Audeze will require you to ship them in the travel case so it gets pricey to do so. And I wish they would find a better way to attach the damn pads.

[@AQUPAS]

@@tomdavis6371 Thanks for all that info, I just placed an order on mine looking forward to hearing them and comparing them to my HD800s, DT 1990 Pro and HD6xx.

[@tomdavis6371]

@@AQUPAS You're welcome. I hope you enjoy them!

[@tyler7356]

Thanks for making this video, ive done a lot of research on this headphone and your video was the one that made me pull the trigger. You crossed all the T's and dotted the i's

[@user-so4tm5wj8s]

Excellent reviews, thanks!

[@lucianp87]

Great channel! I can't wait for the Arya Organic review!

[@delta9k]

Nice review, thanks.

[@johngalt9989]

From your description, Reveal seems to be about on par with Creative's X-Fi solution that they include with some of their amps, such as the X3. Pure awfulness. Great review, and here's hoping your channel takes off in the new year.

[@hdsarma]

On your face style review, liked it !👍

[@herry1276]

Hi Wavetheory, good to see you in person. And good to see that you're an LCD-X fan as well.

[@wavetheorysound]

Thanks! Feel free to hmu on whatever forum you know me from so I know who you are! (and that goes for anyone else, too)

[@tomaszbrodzic8381]

Thanks a lot for review. I have 2021 revision and I feel that sometimes the mid range is hide to much but not always. There are pieces that whole range is just right. Then sound is very good. But I'm still thinking about lcd-2 they were not so clear but maybe more relaxing.

[@Blahmanwhysoserious]

legend has it he reviewed these without ever plugging in the wires

[@mmcpa]

I always use EQ, and these are my first Audeze, and I love them. I don't expect anything out of the box to be perfectly tuned to my personal preference.

[@Simanick1]

Great review. Agree with your thoughts - very much enjoy my LCD-X ‘21, but benefits even more from some EQ. Good results from tweaking oratory1990’s LCD-X EQ.

[@elhijueputa8423]

100% agree. I use oratory1990's parametric profile and adjust it to my taste. Amazing headphones.

[@user-go3bz8je2u]

Equalization puts my signature on my equipment the final note in a masterpiece

[@brandonburr4900]

I'm glad somebody else feels the same way about eqing headphones. It should be good out of the box. And using reveal program really does limit your use of the headphone. I know some headphone reviewers are always talking about eqing adjustments with every headphone ( resolve headphone reviews and others). Just makes me cringe especially the $$$ involved. That said, I can appreciate eqing some plannars and what it does having downloaded aq apo and peace. Thanks for the review!

[@markrussellsmith]

Another excellent review. I just watched your LCD-5 review and found your comment on Audezes' timbre interesting. I've had a 2021 LCD-X since they came out and really enjoy them. I just bought a set of Focal Clear OGs and it's interesting to compare them because in many respects they sound similar. I thought the LCD-X had slightly better detail and separation, but decided that it's just perceived that way due to the frequency response. I do find that the Clear has better timbre though, and because of that I find them more engaging with acoustic music.

[@wavetheorysound]

I agree with a lot of this. After hearing 7 LCDs and almost all of Focal's line it's occurred to me that Focal and Audeze are almost dynamic and planar versions of each other, at least sonically. Their staging is similar, their timbre is often similar, they both have great punch/slam, and both can have a tendency toward shoutiness. It's quite fascinating, or at least it is to a super audio nerd like me, lol.

[@ainsleywilkins145]

Great review. Would like to hear your thoughts on the XC closed version v the X.

[@Sacredriver1008]

I use bugged out equaliser apo on windows, to, use pulsar massive analog EQ vst in apo to add 9db of bass and some highs. Then I up the analog drive. For even more bass I use a Kiive Warmy v1 pultec style eq. Only vst2 format does work, not vst3. It does the job pretty well, LCD-X 2021 is my first high end headphone after audio technica ath-m50x and ath-r70x. Which are pretty good too though!

[@Samuell1124]

Great review, but one minor comment. I find the audio of this vid a bit sibilant, some adjustments to your mic settings would be great!

[@codgerfiasco]

The 2021 version was my first 'proper' headphone purchase and I love it. I am glad you mentioned the upper mid shout though, others seemingly missed that and some even suggested a boost at 3.5k due to the slight recession on published measurements. I just give it a little bass shelf and a 1db dip around the lower mids and mid...mids. I am now considering the 5. How much of a step up is it? What are the areas it improves from the X?

[@kentbergstrom3020]

I EQ all my headphones to my personal taste, and my RME ADI-2 FS DAC/AMP has a 7-band Parametric EQ option built in, which makes it very quick and easy to adjust the sound frequencies without having to use third party apps for the sole purpose.

[@xsouldriverx]

Thoughts on Reveal,... i think there was another way to use it. I personally use Equalizer APO and the Peace plug in and go by some suggested settings from other places and it works great. I thought Reveal had something else but its a shame if they did away with that.

[@tanvirislamriyad8370]

please please please review audeze XC latest revision

[@aceofspades6667]

continue riding the wave in '21... current owner of OG LCDX, LCD3F, and LCD2PF. Thinking of selling the X and 2F to buy a used 4.

[@TheMusikYarl]

How do you find the LCD-3 compare to the LCD-x and 2?

[@mrmrgaming]

Hi. Which did you like more, the 2F or the X?

[@aceofspades6667]

@@mrmrgaming tough one.. I think the 2F has better bass impact and quantity but lcdx has better speed and resolution. The x is darker on top so it can be helpful for certain genres. I sold the 2pf and have the og clears and hd800s now which I live over all the audeze products above. The lcd3f is great on tube amps but meh on SS.

[@mrmrgaming]

@@aceofspades6667 Hi, thanks for that. Sadly nothing is screaming for me to move from 2F to X...as much as I want there to be lol I did hear that the 3s are very picky about how you run them and what you listen to.

[@Ancient88Wisdom]

​@@mrmrgamingjust bear in mind that comparison os to the OG LCD Xs, not the 2021 ones

[@atravelingboy7995]

Thank you for putting this video together, I also agree with your assessment of new audeze lcd x preset. I hope audeze does move away from presets as well and feels like, as a consumer, I have to second guess a $1200 purchase because it requires a fix? Great content, question, how does it compare to lcd 5 I’m thinking of it as a future purchase, thank you for all your work!

[@wavetheorysound]

Thanks! The LCD-5 review will release soon. If I don't answer your question in there hmu again. Thanks for watching!

[@xsouldriverx]

From memory is there anything the pre revision EQed lcd-x wins at or is the 2021 across the board same or improved?

[@MountainViewStudio]

Hey man I love your vids! I have a question- If I get these headphones do I still need to get an amp no matter what interface I have? I have an Antelope Orion Studio (one of the best AD-DA converters) but I looked on the manual and I couldn't find much info about the headphone specs. Anyways, if u know please let me know! cheers

[@wavetheorysound]

Probably not a must. The X is very easy to drive. They will scale up with higher quality amps, tho.

[@RX-rd4sc]

Have you heard denon ah d7200? If yes Whats your opinion on them?

[@steveee2511]

woud these work on a audioquest dragonfly red conected to laptop or iphone 13 pro via adapter

[@stevendavis1135]

Wave I have a question. So due this review I actually ended up buying the lcdx 2021 edition . I'm currently using a s magni hersey and modi 3E schiit stack listing to flac files over amazon HD. In this review I know you stated this headphone was easy to drive but I'm considering buying the jotunhiem 2 paired with a bifrost 2/64 multibit dac. My question to you is do the lcdx scale with better gear? Like will the new stack increase the lcdx sonic performance over my budget schiit stack?

[@wavetheorysound]

Oh yes. Pretty big jump. Have fun.

[@Kulpa-Systems]

Hello, Thanks for the report.👍 Compared to the Lcd 2C is it an upgrade or tends not to be?

[@ElCharvo]

2c is fun and warm,X is more precise and dynamic-I have both and enjoy them.

[@Ancient88Wisdom]

Definitely an upgrade, the closer headphones would be the normal LCD 2

[@hafeezadelakun1]

Where you using the leather or leather free lcd x?

[@mrmrgaming]

Still trying to talk myself into getting these. I have the LCD 2F (2016), But I don't know if the jump is going to be worth it/noticeable.....in a good way.

[@Ancient88Wisdom]

I ABed these side by side yesterday in the shop and the difference is noticeable, but not sure if it's worth it - that's a decision you'll have to make...

[@mrmrgaming]

@@Ancient88Wisdom I tried them and liked the 2f more. They just have more life to them. The X has more detail, but the life feels a bit sucked out of them.

[@Jamie-666]

Damn, have the previous edition.

[@carminedesanto6746]

Update ..I added a Schiit Lokius..because..yes, they NEED EQ!!

[@superkev-ls4kn]

Hi mate - would you still recommend using an amp for this in conjunction with a DAP e.g. Astell & Kern SP2000?

[@wavetheorysound]

For sound quality reasons I don't think you'd need more than the A&K, no. My only question would be how long the DAP battery lasts from the current draw of the LCD-X. Try it and see how it goes.

[@superkev-ls4kn]

@@wavetheorysound Thanks mate. And sorry you also mentioned the Schiit Loki Equalizer - do you think this would further enhance the sound quality?

[@wavetheorysound]

@@superkev-ls4kn I didn't think much EQ was needed for the 2021 LCD-X. The closed-back version OTOH...yeah...needed. But, you may prefer some slight FR changes on LCD-X. In which case it responds well to the Loki. Keep in mind you MUST have a dedicated amp if you're going to use a hardware EQ like that, though.

[@michaellitke5892]

How do you like these in comparison to the Hifiman arya v3?

[@wavetheorysound]

Can't say yet. Arya V2 is probably technically superior, but I could only listen for brief stretches. It gave me bad vertigo-like symptoms. I possibly have a lead on getting the Arya V3 in for review...

[@chrisdinsmore1665]

I have to disagree with you regarding comfort. I suppose it is different for each individual due to differences in head shape etc, but I find these pretty darn uncomfortable. I can make it a couple hours, but by that time I can't wait to get them off my head. I think for me it is a combo of clamping force and weight that causes my outer ear to become sore over time. Love the sound though.

[@wavetheorysound]

Oh, I get it. Complaints about Audeze comfort have been around for that whole decade I mentioned. They are heavy and bulky so there are bound to be issues. Thanks for watching!

[@Axiosz]

This or the Focal Clear?

[@ruger6049]

If someone out there owns these and listens mostly to quality rock/heavy blues etc., I'd love to hear what you think. Anyone....

[@tomdavis6371]

Why sit there with that headphone sitting atop your head with no connected cable though? I mean, you could just hold it in your hand, right?

[@wavetheorysound]

Because all cables sound the same...when they're not plugged into anything ;p

[@LakerTriangle]

On the subject of Reveal - You should watch the Mark Cerny of Sony video talking about measuring audio. Here's a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppmbfayEfrlsqck

[@davidpilon9433]

I’m first 😀

[@wavetheorysound]

LOL! I've arrived! People are now bragging about being my first commenter. I thinks this deserves a drink...hahaha

[@atravelingboy7995]

Damn

[@UntakenNick]

"Upper mid-fi.." Nothing's high end for youtube reviewers..

[@dontwatchmydoomvideos]

Clear mg vs LCD x for dubstep, rock, orchestral?

[@wavetheorysound]

I generally don't like the Clear MG. I'll take LCD-X every time. Clear OG...things get more interesting.

[@RX-rd4sc]

​@@wavetheorysound lcd x vs clear og which one sounds richer, fuller, complete,musical, dynamic with natural timbre?

[@bethcarney5274]

Thank you! Some serious hobbyists LOVE EQing. I'm with you, though. I wouldn't buy a car to bring it to a mechanic to get the engine working to my liking. You'd buy another car.

[@mikedergalev]

Totally!!! EQ is ridiculous.

[@WyattOShea]

@@mikedergalev Your opinion. I believe in EQ as it has really made some headphones so so much better to my ears than they are stock.

[@mikedergalev]

@@WyattOShea i don't wanna bother with such stuff. It's inconvenient. Besides i would rather buy better cans then tweak them here and there. My ears adjust just fine. EQ won't help with extracting more details and resolution out of equipment. U get what u get.

[@WyattOShea]

@@mikedergalev Your opinion. I got much better bass and highs with eq on my multi thousand dollar headphones lol. My ears work just fine too but there is a huge difference in how much better my cans sound with EQ over not having EQ. I only use my good headphones at my computer so it's not inconvenient at all for me.

[@mikedergalev]

@@WyattOShea I don't believe in huge difference. Anyways. Your opinion your opinion your opinion 🤗😄

[@carminedesanto6746]

Greetings from Toronto ☕️☕️ Currently running Sen’s 650’s…they’re nice ..but nothing spectacular….I’m looking for spectacular…hopefully the AUDEZE LCD-X😋 Currently using a lot of IEM’s..and I love the bass/sub bass and top end sparkle 🙂 Hope to hear from you ..and yes I’m time traveling 🧭 🧳 through KZbin to get reviews 🤷🏻‍♂️☕️☕️

[@hansmurris6716]

Thanks for the review! I have the LCD-X just recently (breaking it in still). I think it sounds good out of the box, and after 40 hours became much more revealing and rich. I tried the Oratory1990 EQ settings, used HFPlayer app for this, and to some extend it comes nearer to the sound of the Hifiman Arya, which gives it a more aery sound, although I don’t realy like it, because it makes the sound also thinner. So I conclude with you, that if you use eq, only give it in the lower bass part (30-50 Hz) +2-3 dB more and maybe in the mid bass +1-2 dB, and perhaps if you like -1 dB around 2-3 kHz. In my oppinion if you go further, it can give more aer, but you loose resolution and imaging.

[@julianmanjarres1998]

Mr snake oil himself

[@rumblerumble2276]

I listened to these the other day and they sounded sooooo bad. The set I heard HAD to be broken, but the salesman said they sounded fine. The salesman had to have been lying because there is no way a company would sell a headphone that sounded like artists were singing through a washcloth.

[@wavetheorysound]

Woof. I definitely would not attribute such a quality to LCD-X

[@rumblerumble2276]

@@wavetheorysound yeah, I need to try another set. Also, I won't shop at that store again because I think the salesman was trying to just get a sale rather than admit that the headphones were borked.

[@CptMark]

Audeze needed 13 years to learn to tune. :) I never understood the hype about that brand... I guess they were one of the pioneers in the planar revival, but that's about it. At least I didn't heard about issues with their QC.

[@TheMusikYarl]

Well beside the tuning which could be fixed with EQ, they provided some of the best bass ever heard. Don’t underestimate planar and especially Audezes implementations

[@TheMusikYarl]

@Tweed Penguin It's not about mass amount of uneven bass bloating everything else. It's not about bassheads or the next generation or any of your b*llsh*t. It's about getting the complete picture. A full bodied sound you have never heard in headphones before. It seems like you haven't heard planars. Try it!

[@carminedesanto6746]

I just got mine ( LCDX 2021 Creators) …it doesn’t do EVERYTHING…but it is pretty damn close ( btw, no EQ) 🫡