Audeze LCD2 Classic headphones: Simply sublime

Who is Audeze?

Unless you are an audiophile or headphone enthusiast, you may not have heard of Audeze. The company was founded 10 years ago and is regarded by many to be the ones who popularized the use of planar magnetic drivers in headphones.

What are planar magnetic drivers?

Over 99% of all headphones use what is commonly known as dynamic drivers. In a dynamic driver, a metal coil is inserted into a magnetic field and fixed to a suspended driver cone. When a charge is applied to the coil, it reacts with the magnetic field, causing the driver cone to move and produce sound.

Planar magnetic drivers work very differently. Here, a thin conductive diaphragm is typically positioned between two magnets. When an electrical charge is applied, the diaphragm reacts to the magnetic field of the magnets and moves to produce sound.

So instead of focusing force on a small part (the voice coil in a dynamic driver), motive force is spread across the entire diaphragm. The upsides to this are increased responsiveness, a wider frequency range, and lower distortion. On the other hand, because the magnets need to cover the entire diaphragm, planar magnetic driver headphones can be heavy and bulky. They are usually also quite inefficient and require much more power to drive.

So what is this LCD2 Classic?

In Audeze’s words, the LCD2 Classic is “a new take” on the classic LCD-2 headphone. It isn’t a direct reissue of the original LCD-2, but it is close. The new LCD2 Classic features a new suspension-style headphone, “crystal-infused nylon rings", and remodeled audio jacks that pay homage to the original LCD-2.

Shouldn’t it be LCD-2 Classic with a dash?

Don’t ask me, I’m only following Audeze’s nomenclature. I suppose it is to differentiate it more clearly from the LCD-2.

Fine, so what's the big deal with the LCD-2?

The LCD-2 was Audeze’s first mass production headphone. It was first launched in 2008 and even today remains to be one of the best headphones for its price. Its thread on popular headphone forum Head-Fi is active even today and has stretched to an amazing 770 pages.

Wait, what happened to the LCD-1?

The LCD-1 was made in extremely limited numbers. Only 25 sets were made and were really more like prototype samples than retail-ready production units.

Ok, back to the LCD2 Classic, why should I care?

It’s important for a number of reasons:

1. Over the years, Audeze made revisions to the LCD-2. The LCD-2 that you can buy today is a markedly different headphone from the one from 10 years ago. The design has been changed slightly, the drivers are improved, and then there’s the addition of what Audeze calls “Fazor.”
   
   
   
   Fazors are waveguides that help manage and direct sound waves from the driver to the listener’s ears. According to Audeze, they provide better imaging, more soundstage, improved high-frequency extension and better transient response. Despite these claimed improvements, the introduction of Fazor technology proved to be controversial. Some say the addition of Fazor has resulted in some loss of slam and impact, especially in the lower frequencies; and that the previously “lush” and “dark” sound signature of the LCD2 has been replaced by something that is brighter and more neutral.
   
    
2. If you are a fan of the non-Fazor LCD-2, then the new LCD2 Classic that we're reviewing today is as close as you can get to that original sound. The drivers aren’t completely identically but at least the absence of Fazors should get you closer to the sound of LCD-2 headphones of old.
   
    
3. Up until now, the LCD-2 was the most affordable headphone in Audeze’s LCD lineup. However, at S$1,650, they are still expensive and prohibitively priced for many. The LCD2 Classic gets you a taste of the LCD sound at a much more palatable S$1,099.

That’s a big price drop, how did they do it?

Price is kept low by having some design changes and omitting some accessories. Longtime Audeze fans will immediately notice that gone are the LCD-2’s wooden ear cup rings. They are replaced instead with what Audeze calls “crystal-infused nylon rings,” which feel extremely hard. The nylon rings, along with the metal suspension headband and yokes, are all given a matte black powder-coated finish, giving the LCD2 Classic an industrial look and feel.

The thick ear pads are soft and plush but they are covered with protein leather instead of the genuine lambskin leather found on the LCD-2. Fortunately, this hasn’t compromised comfort one bit. Coupled with the new suspension-style headband, it means that even though the LCD2 Classic is heavy at around 550g, I didn’t have problems wearing them for hours on end.

Another thing to note is that the LCD2 Classic doesn't come with the rugged carrying case that accompanies other LCD headphones. Also not included with the headphones are plug adapters, so make sure you have them handy especially if you intend to use the headphones with a portable DAP.

How does the LCD2 Classic sound?

If you like a lush and engaging sound, the LCD2 Classic would be right up your alley. The highs never sound harsh or shrill, and the mids are incredibly smooth and intimate. And like most Audeze headphones, the LCD2 Classic has fantastic bass that goes very deep. Its bass isn’t boosted or accentuated; it just sounds amazingly clean, punchy and textured. The LCD2 Classic is also very detailed and clear. In short, they sound pretty awesome.

Do the LCD2 Classic and LCD-2 sound different at all?

They do, but - and this is a huge but - only if you have them both with you and listen to one after the other. Even then, you might strain to hear the differences.

Nevertheless, here’s what I heard:

• The overall tonality and signature of the headphones are most similarly but with the LCD2 Classic sounding a shade warmer. Just a shade. The LCD-2, on the other hand, sounds a little brighter and is certainly the more neutral-sounding headphone overall.
  
   
• The LCD2 Classic slams a tad harder in the bass, but only just.
  
   
• Both also have a very smooth rendition of the mids, and both have highs that are superbly tame and never harsh or shrill.
  
   
• The biggest difference lies in their imaging and soundstage. In my listening, I found the LCD-2 to have a wider soundstage and more accurate imaging. The LCD2 Classic is hazier in this regard, though again, not by a wide margin.

To conclude, I must emphasize that the differences between the two headphones are very, very slight. And I suspect that if I didn't have the two headphones on hand to compare against each other, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference at all.

If that’s the case, which one should I get?

Since the two sound so similar, I think there are other factors that are more worthy of consideration.

• Aesthetics - Do you like the wooden cups of the LCD-2 over the metal rings of the LCD2 Classic?
  
   
• Comfort - The LCD2 Classic is a lot more comfortable because of its lower weight and suspension-style headband.
  
   
• Budget - Because of the two headphones sound so alike, and the LCD2 Classic is significantly more affordable, I think that the LCD2 Classic offers better value for money - even if it doesn’t come with the LCD-2’s rugged carrying case, have wooden ear cup rings, and genuine leather ear pads.

The short story is this: The LCD2 Classic offers about 90% to 95% the performance of the LCD2C for about 65% the price.

At any rate, you really can’t go wrong with either pair of headphones. They are stellar performers and are some of the best headphones that you can get at their respective price points.

Are there alternatives to consider?

Other headphones that you should consider at this price point are the MrSpeakers Aeon Flows. Priced identically at S$1,099, the Aeon Flows come in closed-back and open-back forms and also utilize planar magnetic drivers. However, the Aeon Flow headphones sound vastly different from the Audeze LCD2 Classic. In fact, the two Aeon Flow headphones don’t even sound like each other at all!

The closed-back version of the Aeon Flow is remarkably neutral in its sound. It sounds accurate, but it can also sound a little too polite and unexciting for some people. The Audeze LCD2 Classic and LCD-2 are more dynamic and engaging.

The open-back version, on the other hand, has a warmer signature even when compared to the Audezes. For an open-back headphone, its bass response is surprisingly strong. There’s a slight bloom in the mid-bass that bleeds very slightly into the mids, which gives it a thick almost gooey sound. It’s an inviting and alluring sound that compares well to the Audezes’ slightly warm signature.

Another planar magnetic headphone worth considering at this price point is the Oppo PM-2. Priced at S$999, the PM-2 is more affordable and also considerably easier to drive than both the MrSpeakers and Audezes. This means you won't need a headphone amplifier to get the best out of it - though having one would definitely improve its performance.

The PM-2 sounds great too. It's more neutral than the Audezes and the open-back Aeon Flow, but has a slightly harsh treble that can be off-putting to those who are treble sensitive. Bass goes deep and is clean and snappy, and the mid-range is well balanced. However, the PM-2 isn't as intimate as the Audezes and the open-back Aeon Flow.

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