Fit and Comfort

Seen above is the Audeze LCD-X (2021) on a headphone stand that is actually a set of two artificial ears complete with soft-molded human ears and a couple of different adapters acting as the top of the head. This has been mounted on a tripod, which also showcases how headphones would look on a human head, with the artificial ears spaced ~20 cm apart. As with all headphones, getting a good fit and seal is crucial, so make sure to properly use the pivot points and headband and ear-cup height adjustability. This section is mostly a summary of the points expanded upon in more detail on the previous page. The new LCD-X weighs 611 g without the cables and has been the subject of many an "Audeze neck" joke before. In fact, this is why the 420 g LCD-5 was such a pleasant change from the Audeze norm, although I must say that the build quality and comfort of the LCD-X make this an evenly distributed "light" 611 g. Indeed, once set up properly for you, which takes less than a minute following which the yoke rod points are set for future use, it is one of the more comfortable sets of headphones I have used. The combination of the suspension headband with breathing holes to prevent hotspots, multiple swivel and pivot options, roomy, securing ear pads, and near-perfect clamping force work well here. I also got a fantastic seal with the ear pads to where I thought the leather-free pads were more conducive to forming around your ear pinna than the leather pads on the LCD-XC review sample. Also, while a small thing, I appreciate the cable connectors facing away from your face and not resting on or directly under it. I still recommend using these in a quiet environment lest the ambient environment affect your listening experience, although sound leaking out is not as big a deal unless you are listening at crazy high volume.

Frequency Response Measurement and Listening

Please refer to the equivalent page of my LCD-XC review for more about the driver tech employed here, as well as how testing was done. I will point out that the LCD-X (2021) was designed to easily be run off any source with a 1/4" plug, with its low 20 Ω impedance and for planars relatively high 103 dB/mW sensitivity. This lowers the entry barrier for adoption with generic mixing consoles and DAWs, which helps Audeze's case here. I paired it with sources ranging from the $200 JDS Labs Atom+ stack to the $16,000 FiiO K9 Pro + HIFIMAN EF1000 and felt that a clean, transparent source makes more sense within the context of this article judging the LCD-X for music producers and sound engineers in addition to audiophiles. I will also mention that I have a general preference for a warm-neutral signature emphasizing a slightly elevated bass and smooth treble range with detailed mids and good tonal separation. I generally prefer instrumental music over vocals, with favored genres including jazz and classical music.


As per usual, you can find my headphone frequency response measurements on VSG.squig.link, along with all the earphone measurements. Scroll to the bottom and choose different targets there, including two from Harman Kardon developed after years of R&D. The Harman 2018 over-ear target in particular is a reference curve many headphone makers aim for now, but I find it too bass-boosted. As such, I am opting for the Harman 2018 curve with the bass target from the Harman 2013 curve, which is what is being referred to as the "Harman Combined" target there.

Audeze's goal with the new LCD-X in its 2021 iteration can be summed up in three words: accuracy, transparency, and efficiency. We saw how the LCD-X is one of the most efficient planar magnetic set of headphones, so much so that it is easier to drive than many dynamic driver headphones. The other two metrics are tied to the tonality and technical performance, and I can say that Audeze has generally achieved these goals. Indeed, Audeze has a target curve of its own based on the Harman curve and Fletcher–Munson equal loudness contours, and the goal with the LCD Reference series the LCD-X belongs to is to get as close to the target that is accurate for studio-monitoring purposes. The recent updates to the LCD-X and LCD-XC are such that the LCD-XC benefits more, coming out even closer to the target curve than the LCD-X had been, yet the favorable history along with word of mouth from the previous generations has led to the new LCD-X still outselling the LCD-XC.

As with the previous generation, the LCD-X (2021) is a highly resolving, highly analytical set amenable for pro audio purposes. The 2021 updates have made it more compelling for audiophiles too with the updated tuning that has some pinna gain, and the reduced mass helps everyone. I would describe this version as neutral with a side of added warmth. It's not a set for bass heads as there is even a slight sub-bass roll-off past 30 Hz, although the ultra-low distortion means there's plenty of room to further tweak tonality with EQ to meet desired goals. It's an otherwise excellent pairing of mid-bass extension and detail, and smoothly transitions into the mids, where vocals take center stage. This means the LCD-X with its accurate reproduction of bass, acoustic instruments, and vocals can make for a fantastic set of monitoring headphones, too. There is a lot of dynamic range—a definite class or two above the typical Sony MDR-7506 or beyerdynamic DT 770 that tend to be used given their lower cost. Then again, I've seen actual mixing being done on far worse sets than those two, so I imagine the sudden increase in data perceived with the LCD-X might be a religious experience to some.

I wouldn't EQ the mids proper as much as add some pinna gain, especially since the LCD-X drivers are technically very proficient and the mids flat line can be used as a great reference for various instrument classes given the well-defined separation here. I also found the soundstage to vary from just averagely wide for headphones, which would be mediocre for the larger transducers here, to plenty wide as I'd like to see depending on the source, so perhaps some synergy and personal biases are involved here too. Imaging is otherwise spot on most of the way in a wide cone in the front and heading towards the ears, which helps visualize audio sources in a 3D space around you for enjoying complex pieces of orchestral music and monitoring alike. Indeed, I even found the LCD-X to be pretty good for FPS gaming with some sources, although I'd probably use a closed-back set there or go with something like the Sennheiser HD 800 S instead for its actually wide soundstage.

I've seen some claim the new LCD-X doesn't need EQ, but that's down to individual HRTF preferences—more on that soon enough. For my tastes, I did EQ the 2–5 kHz region up 4 dB centering around 3.5 kHz and lowered the 6 kHz peak slightly to keep things non-fatiguing. Indeed, the current tuning makes the LCD-X a relaxing listen for hours on end, and the company is quick to point out how handy that is for those late night recording, editing, mastering, and mixing sessions. There are otherwise no real faults in the higher frequencies, but no real standouts either. I wouldn't claim any outward sparkle or presence, although some air past 10 kHz can help with string instruments and piano key resonances. Treble extension is on point, and timbre is typical of planar drivers as it is slightly pluck, which I don't mind and even prefer somewhat.

Comparisons

I was in two minds about whether to normalize these frequency responses at 500 Hz or not, but chose to leave them SPL-normalized at 60 dBA as per usual. The chart above compares my measurements for all four Audeze headphones tested to date, including the LCD- 2 Classic from the Audeze Origins Series, new LCD-X and LCD-XC from the Audeze Reference Series, and LCD-5 from the Audeze Flagship series. I can tell you right out of the gate that the LCD-2 Classic is quite warm and colored to where it can be a fun set—it isn't in the same realm for pro audio and accurate sound reproduction as the other three. It also costs the least of the lot and is a good entry point to the Audeze lineup if you prefer the tuning. Just be sure to read the review to exactly understand what you get. The LCD-XC is my personal pick between the two reference series models owing to its pinna gain and treble presence, which can also make it overly bright for others, and the 670 g might be a dealbreaker, too. I'd still recommend trying it out to see if the closed-back isolation is worth it to you or not. The LCD-XC is one of my favorite sets and always in rotation. Another set in permanent rotation is the LCD-5, which is really the LCD-X on steroids. It's smaller, lighter, and has more improvements than can be claimed in a single patent disclosure, too. It can get somewhat dark in the higher frequencies and benefits from EQ by ear, which the LCD-X isn't in need of as you can simply hit a couple of EQ filters and call it a day—or use Reveal+ as discussed on the next page!


There is another contender in my collection though, and the HIFIMAN Arya (2021 Stealth Magnets) with its recent price cut to $1300 makes for the most compelling option yet if you only have the money to buy one. The build quality is worse, but the Arya is lighter and larger too, offers a taller and wider soundstage while being more source agnostic, and is tuned with classical and jazz music enjoyment in mind rather than music monitoring. If you are not a fan of EQ or do not want to spend more on Reveal+, the Arya might be the safer bet. The LCD-X tackles bass better, but benefits so much from EQ that anyone willing to EQ will certainly find it more appealing once tweaked. Oh, and the cable is just so much better with the LCD-X, and it costs slightly less, too. Then there's the new Audeze MM-500, which seems to be taking the best of both the LCD-X and LCD-5 and being designed with, by, and for pro audio. It costs slightly more than both the LCD-X and Arya, but may well be the one to go for depending on how it plays out. I'll hopefully have the opportunity to find out for myself soon!