So I just began my head-fi journey and I have the HD600. I like them a lot but I wanted to have something with more punch/impact/bass for my pop/rap/hip-hop/k-pop/EDM guilty pleasures.
I have heard the Focal Clear MG (OG no longer available locally), which I think is pretty good but didn't wow me (although it's US950 locally so not a bad deal). My research on this forum and others indicates that the Audeze LCD-X is what I am looking for. There's only one shop in my town that offers it and I made a hike out there to audition them.
For whatever reason, it underwhelmed me. It's good but it I had to try to like them. Maybe I expecting a more powerful bass but it honestly did not impress me more than Clear MGs and Clear MGs have better vocals.
I happened saw the Fostex th900mk2 signature edition at the Audeze dealer. I decided to give them a go. First, it was more comfortable than the LCD-X. (LCD-X was like--I can bear this for the sound if i like the sound enough). The Fostex had some of the best bass I have heard from a headphones. Kanye/Jay Z/Nas etc. all sounded great. Maybe it's the signature edition tuning, I didn't the mid range was as bad as people make it out to be -- l listen to a few Asian love-ballads --the vocals were clear while complimented by the instrumentations, which were clearly separated. The treble was bright but it didn't bother me, but maybe I am getting older (close to 40).
The down side is that the Fostex is like 1500 locally, so i need to go back to another shop and compare to the Clear MG -- to see if I like it for 500 more. Also, the Fostex doesn't seem as well reviewed as the other two mentioned -- and I wonder why. Also at 1500, HIFIMAN Arya Organic is also in play.
Anyone have any thoughts?
The "classic" Audeze lineup desperately needs EQ to sounds good, including the bass region. The potential is enormous though. Demoing them without EQ is, in my honest opinion, a waste.
Sold LCD-X, LCD-XC because there was something missing. Might be that, now as I think about it...
Frankly if I have to use eq on a 1500£ headphone it’s not a good headphones
Then basically every high end headphone is not good because none of them have a decent bass shelf except for the DCA Expanse/Stealth.
Maybe you just like DCA expanse then. It’s absurd to not expect good tuning from an expensive headphone.
Have to agree here.
If they're doing half the job, it should obviously be half the price.
And tuning is at least half the job
The retailer's fault
I really wonder why they don’t do it. Even the official seller for Audeze at High-End just puts all the headphones there without any possibility of EQ (admittedly, it’d be cumbersome due to how highly frequented that event is). With a few exceptions (CRBN, MM500, MM100) all of their headphones sounded underwhelming to me, and looking at the FR, it’s no surprise. I easily believe those would fare a lot better with some proper EQ.