Yeah, I feel that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction to the point where the context for EQ usage is lost, and we're now overcompensating and over-correcting to cope with essentially a bad purchase.

I guess so. Most other budget stuff I've tried was significantly less grainy and harsh, but thought more details came through in most cases.

If you're happy with it, use it. If you want something better, be prepared to spend money for it. If you want something significantly better, be prepared to spend a lot more money for it.

I'd suggest buying used and sell it if you don't like it. I also use any new gear for at least a few weeks, if not a couple of months, before deciding whether I like it or not.

Yeah, I have the zen DAC and it's fine for my 6xx and 5xx headphones.

You’re welcome. Strangely I liked the zen dac v2’s balanced output for my hd 650s better by itself than the stack so I ended up selling the zen can. It had enough power in balanced mode but this was my personal experience and only had the 650s.

The Zen Dac V2 is a Dac with a weaker amp. The Zen Can is a Class A amp and just helps improve the bass a bit. Not a noticeable difference though.

Oh, I see! Thanks a bunch.

The zen dac is an amp + dac correct but the amp section is weak. Zen can is an amp only.

I bought a Qudelix-5K. $109, amp/DAC with EQ app.

Do those wall things actually help I have been on the fence with them never tried but always tempted

Hello, Compared to the HD6XX overall an upgrade on bass and treble. Vocals were a bit better on the HD6XX but LCD 2 can be EQ easily. Feels like a good upgrade path from thr HD6XX overall

This is a shitty answer all audio interfaces have a DAC to convert analog to digital for their microphone inputs and most interfaces also have headphone amps. Most of these amps power your headphones just fine altough there are also some that are not very good, there are many very good options you just have to do some research. This however is not general knowledge that every living human has so asking questions about it is very normal.

All interfaces have a DAC.

That's unfortunate. :(

I'm not nearly as bothered by tonal issues, as I find even if something sounds jarring to me, at first (i.e. stock Focal Elegia), given enough time, I always end up acclimating and normalizing the sound anyway. It just requires time to re-acclimate again when switching back to more "normal" sounding headphones, at a later time. But I can certainly understand others not wanting to undergo this arduous process.

Fiancée broke my HD6XX during a work trip and seemed like a good reason to upgrade. Originally, the Meze Empyrean was going to be my next upgrade but was able to get the LCD 2 Bamboo 2018 model for a good price, and really like the way planars sound. Picked the IFi stack as they are demo units and on sale.

Amateur Sound Review: Bass: The extension into the lower bass is amazing and gives details that I have never heard on xthe HD6XX

Mids: Definitely a bit weird, but reading online EQ can help. Some vocalists sound great and center, while others seem further back. HD6XX vocals did sound better but may change after EQ.

Highs: Have been great and add a lot of detail to bands like Artic Monkeys, and Queen of the Stone Age.

Overall, guitars, drums, and snares sound so much more alive on the LCD 2 and you can almost tell how hard the strings have been plucked or how hard the drums and snares were hit.

The biggest change once the dac/amp was added was the bass got more dynamic and overall, the soundstage felt better.

The main complaint is the weight and clamping of the LCD 2. The pressure can get a bit painful after long use, and when demoing the Meze it is even more noticeable the difference.

What's the purpose of stacking the ifi units? They're both their own amps and DACs are they not? Thanks to anyone who replies, I've seen this a lot and am curious.

I haven't had that issue with the Hart cables, but they are a bit microphonic to me. The interchangeable amp-side connectors are so good though. I wish more cables used that system.

Since my Sundara is well out of warranty at this point, I may explore the Dekoni pads when the earpads well and truly flake out on me. It might help fix the comfort too. I find that with the lack of lateral earcup swivel, it often presses too hard on my cheekbones and that makes them uncomfortable. Like I wore these today for about 30 minutes, and I'm now massaging my cheekbones because they got sore. Other days, I can wear the Sundaras for hours, so it's just wildly inconsistent in comfort.

>I just wondered if it would be worth the effort of hunting a good pair down?

Depends, but most likely not if you're planning on having them as a regular-use main headphone instead of an added splash of vintage flavor to add among a collection of several.

It's a vintage headphone with a vintage sound. ("What Harman target curve?") While not bad at all for its age and context, having first come out in the mid-seventies, it's still very much a product of its time and will be almost guaranteed to disappoint if one is expecting a modern full-bodied sounding headphone. And for more critical stuff like mixing, no. Just no.

The low end starts rolling off quite early and does so fast, and the top end is uneven and rolls off as well. When I had a pair for a while a few years ago (felt like getting a bit of nostalgia kick - my dad had pair when I very little), they initially seemed both rather bass-light and with an elevated treble, making for a rather harsh sound signature, but turned out it was mostly just the rolled-off bass. EQ'ing the bass up evened out things big time, but also highlighted the limitations of the old drivers, they can't handle that much bass boosting before starting to noticably distort at even slightly elevated volumes. Modern consumer grade headphone bass is very likely simply not a possibility with these. Comfort's OK, though the flat and thin, yet large pads feel a bit unusual - they're sized like they could easily be circumaural, but they're supra-aural anyway. They're also quite hard to drive, coming in 2000 and 600 ohm variations. Not like they need a nuclear reactor to get to decent listening levels, but a headphone amp is definitely recommended.

If you're dead set on wanting to get a pair, get them for the vintage experience with appropriate expectations, *not* to get something capable of going head-to-head with modern gear and comparing favorably. And shop around, don't overpay. Look for prices around for which you could get them sold onward without much of a loss in the case you don't wish to keep them.

FATfreq Maestro Mini u/AtLastLight

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Strange you don't feel planars have rumble and sub-bass, they usually have better sub-bass extension than dynamics. The Clear is punchier than most though. And I do get what you are saying with "weight", they tend to have less of that, with maybe an exception in Audeze.

I would still pick a planar over the Clear for sub-bass in electronic music, for pure bass with no other consideration- LCD-X. It not only has the rumble, it has punch that rivals the Clear. Upper mids are much too dark and also wonky, but can be fixed up fine with EQ while keeping what is the best bass of anything I have heard.

Clear also has a clipping issue in very low sub-bass, although I don't listen loud enough for it to be an issue. It's just the last headphone I'd think of for sub-bass specifically, if anything it's a weak point. It's more mid-bass slam.

For still great sub-bass but otherwise tuned correctly through the mids (i.e. more like the Clear)- Arya Stealth, HE6SEV2, Edition XS.

Not trying to dissuade you, the Clear is a great headphone, and I think it's a better all rounder than the LCD-X, I'd take it over that. I pick it up more for rock than electronic music though. Just a different view on it.

whats the point of buying headphones if you don't like the way they sound to begin with, only to EQ and make them sound "better"

Lol sorry man. Didn’t notice

I’m not the op. I don’t have a lcd2c

Ah ok. How are you liking this to the hd 6xx?

I only use EQ to fix something isn't right , if I enjoy the sound signature why messing with EQ ? I basically use AutoEQ with some IEMs I bought just because I want to try something different but didn't work for me