Audeze LCD Xc Review | 93 Data compared

The Systematic Sound review of the Audeze LCD-XC 2021 closed-back planar magnetic headphones presents a highly critical perspective, evaluating the unit as disappointing, artificial, and fatiguing despite some technical merits. On the positive side (pros), the reviewer praises the headphones' premium build quality, featuring carbon fiber accents that successfully reduce physical weight compared to older generations. Ergonomically, the wide suspension strap and spacious protein leather pads offer lasting comfort, while a strong acoustic seal delivers superb passive noise isolation. Driven by 106mm planar magnetic drivers, the headphones are highly efficient, easy to power, and stand out for their remarkably wide and tall immersive stereo image, as well as being highly revealing of micro-details for a closed-back model. Conversely, the review highlights significant sonic drawbacks (cons), concluding that the headphone sounds overall lean, bright, and dynamically compressed. In the low-end, the bass lacks initial impact and authority, suffering from a truncated decay that makes it feel anemic and feeble. The midrange is plagued by a severe lower-mid dip and an aggressive upper-mid rise (around 1–2 kHz), producing a thin, nasal, and...

The GeekDad review of the $1,299 Audeze LCD-XC closed-back planar magnetic headphones highlights a clean, detailed soundstage, remarkable instrument separation, and exceptional flexibility with EQ. These premium headphones offer high-end, neutral audio performance, particularly when paired with a dedicated amplifier to maximize their potential. Conversely, the review notes that the stock tuning may feel light on bass for some users, and the headphones are not ideal for plug-and-play mobile use due to their reliance on external power. The primary drawback is this need for ancillary equipment to unlock the full sound experience.

Audeze LCD-XC Review Summary The Audeze LCD-XC is a closed-back, planar magnetic headphone that delivers an exceptionally clear, crisp, and high-resolution listening experience across various musical genres. A standout feature is its "bottomless" bass response, which provides tight, textured, and punchy low-end impact without bleeding into the mid-bass or creating distortion. Additionally, it offers a bright, revealing treble that avoids sibilance fatiguing, a spacious soundstage that feels remarkably open for a closed-back design, and a highly efficient 20-ohm impedance that makes it very easy to power without expensive amplification. The build quality is similarly robust, incorporating premium materials like wood, metal, and leather. However, the reviewer highlights two major flaws that prevent a full recommendation: severe comfort issues and an unnatural mid-range. Weighing a massive 1.5 pounds (677 grams), the headphones feel incredibly heavy and create a constant sensation of sliding forward off the head. Sonically, the headphone suffers from a large, forward rise between 1kHz and 2kHz. This specific tuning flaw introduces a painful, shouty, and honky resonance to vocals and instruments, resulting in an artificial tonality. Ultimately, the...

The Audeze LCD-XC (late 2021 edition) is a closed-back planar magnetic headphone costing between US $1,299 and $1,799 depending on included accessories. It is highly recommended when paired with Equalization (EQ), showing impressive out-of-box target compliance across a significant portion of its frequency response curve. The headphone stands out for its exceptionally low distortion levels, registering virtually no mechanical distortion even at high volumes of 114 dBSPL. Furthermore, it features a clean group delay that avoids secondary phase resonances, flat and low impedance, and high sensitivity, which makes it considerably easier to drive than other high-end headphones. Despite its top-tier acoustic performance, the physical build of the LCD-XC presents notable drawbacks. Weighing 710 grams, it is the heaviest headphone tested by the reviewer. Multiple forum members noted that this excessive weight can make long listening sessions painful, especially if the suspension headband stretches over time and causes painful head pressure. Sonically, the stock response can sound bright due to high-frequency peaks above 10 kHz, and some users note a potentially harsh spike around 12 to 13 kHz. However, the headphone...

The SuperBestAudioFriends review of the Audeze LCD-XC highlights a neutral, slightly forward sound signature, offering class-leading technical performance with exceptional resolution and tight, extended bass. While praised for its balanced frequency response and impressive soundstage, the closed-back design features notable cons, including heavy weight, high clamping force, and potential discomfort from shallow earpads. Users may also find the bass lacking in quantity without EQ and the midrange too intimate, though it provides excellent isolation.

The Headfonics review describes the Audeze LCD-XC as a highly musical, closed-back planar magnetic headphone featuring a clean, liquid, and linear bass response with excellent physical slam. Key advantages include its smooth, non-fatiguing treble, detailed midrange, and high-performance, clear sound when driven in balanced mode. However, the review notes that the, sub-bass extension does not go quite as deep out-of-the-box compared to open-back flagship counterparts, requiring EQ for maximum rumble. Additionally, the headphone's linear design may feel restrained to hardcore "bassheads" seeking excessive, overemphasized lower frequencies. Headfonics

The Audeze LCD-XC is a high-end, closed-back planar magnetic headphone priced at $1,799 that successfully delivers an "open-back" listening experience within an isolated design. Built with genuine leather padding and a robust wood-shielded structure, these circumaural headphones exude premium quality and include a rugged carrying case alongside both XLR and 1/4-inch stereo cables. On the technical side, it operates with a 20-ohm impedance and 100dB efficiency, making it highly compatible with portable music players and smartphones without demanding massive external amplification. Sound-wise, the headphone excels across all frequencies, offering a highly detailed and tightly controlled low end, an accurate and spacious midrange, a bright yet non-fatiguing high end, and an exceptionally deep soundstage. Pros and Cons While the headphone delivers a "righteous" sound signature particularly suited for hip-hop and rock, it comes with a few notable physical and acoustic drawbacks. Pros: Exceptional Low End: Offers immense detail and ample control without bleeding into other frequencies. Open Soundstage: Avoids the compressed, canned sound typical of closed-backs, giving a wide sense of space and instrument placement. Premium Build & Accessories: Includes a...

The Audeze LCD-XC is a premium, high-quality closed-back headphone designed for professional music producers and audio engineers who require a portable mixing environment without audio spill. Built primarily out of metal, the headphones weigh a hefty 677g but distribute weight well across a wide headband and comfortable, large ear pads. The core of its performance lies in its Planar Magnetic Technology, which delivers exceptionally clean, detailed, and 3D-like spatial imaging, allowing users to precisely isolate specific tracking details and layers. Tested via the $1,799 Premium Package, the unit includes an indestructible polycarbonate travel case with a secure latch system, dual braided cables, a certificate of authenticity, and a three-year driver warranty. The major advantages of the LCD-XC include its highly neutral frequency response, fantastic transient response, and immersive imaging that matches the performance of its open-back sibling. It remains comfortable for long sessions despite its weight and offers superb build quality. However, the reviewer noted a few distinct drawbacks: the headphones carry a steep price tag ($1,299 for the Creator Package and $1,799 for the Premium Package), representing a $100...

The Audeze LCD-XC 2021 is a premium, closed-back planar magnetic headphone designed for audiophiles and music producers seeking excellent isolation without sacrificing audio quality. Built like a tank with high-quality boutique materials like carbon fiber ear cups and metal grills, it features a comfortable leather suspension strap and well-padded ear pads. Tonally, it stands out from previous Audeze models by offering a neutral-bright signature with a substantial 10-11dB forward upper-midrange ear gain, resulting in a highly engaging, resolving presentation and realistic vocal timbre. Technically, it excels as one of the best closed-back options on the market, offering an impressively wide, open, and airy soundstage, detailed micro-retrieval, and precise depth layering that makes it highly effective for music tracking, mixing, and panning. Despite its exceptional performance, the reviewer highlights several notable drawbacks, particularly its massive 677g weight, which can cause fatigue during long listening sessions. In terms of sound tuning, it has a minor 450Hz dip in the lower-midrange that leans out instruments and a prominent 6kHz peak paired with a significantly boosted upper-treble over 12kHz, making the overall signature sparklier...

The TechPowerUp review of the 2021 Audeze LCD-XC highlights highly capable closed-back planar magnetic headphones featuring an efficient driver system that is easy to drive, delivering analytical, accurate tuning and an exceptionally wide, open soundstage for their design. Pros include high-quality build materials, the inclusion of a hard case, and remarkable performance scaling with EQ software. Conversely, the review notes significant drawbacks, including a heavy 677-gram mass and high clamping force that can cause neck fatigue over long sessions, along with glued-on ear pads that complicate replacement. Additionally, the sound profile presents a weak upper midrange and inconsistent treble, making it a high-cost option compared to competitors.

Summary of the Audeze LCD-XC The Audeze LCD-XC ($1299 USD) is a closed-back planar magnetic headphone that offers a sturdy, mostly metal build with lightweight carbon-fiber cups and plush open-cell foam ear-pads. Breaking away from Audeze's traditional tuning, it delivers a more conventional frequency response featuring clear, present vocals and a tasteful sub-bass extension that avoids lower-midrange muddiness. Technologically, it stands out in a weak closed-back market by outperforming its open-back counterpart, the LCD-X, in microdynamic contrast, overall detail retrieval, and resolving power. Additionally, it retains a surprisingly wide lateral soundstage and benefits from a dark sonic backdrop due to the isolation of its closed design. Despite these strengths, the headphone suffers from several design and acoustic shortcomings. On the build side, it is incredibly heavy, and the poorly implemented leather suspension strap is too long, causing the steel headband to painfully rest directly on the user's head. Visually, the redundant exterior cup branding clutters an otherwise clean aesthetic. Acoustically, a 1.5dB–3dB elevation between 1kHz–3kHz makes vocals and guitars sound overly forward or thin on organic tracks. Furthermore, a significant...

The Audeze LCD-XC is a premium, closed-back planarmagnetic headphone priced at $1,799 that successfully brings the company's signature "house sound" into an isolated design. Sonically, it delivers an incredibly robust, physically grounded, and holographic soundstage with an impressively wide panorama that rivals its open-backed siblings. Key advantages include exceptional build quality featuring lustrously finished wooden cups (available in Bubinga, Purple Heart, Iroki, or Walnut), plush leather padding, and remarkably high efficiency. This high efficiency allows it to be driven easily by portable devices like an iPod Classic or Astell&Kern AK100 without compromising its texturally rich, authoritative low-end slam. Crucially, it provides highly effective privacy by preventing sound leakage, making it perfect for shared environments. However, these benefits come with notable trade-offs, primarily regarding the headphone's massive size and substantial weight, which makes them poorly suited for rapid head movements or portable use on the street. Compared to the open-back LCD-3, the XC has a slightly drier and more damped presentation with marginally less top-end illumination, micro-nuance, and airy expanse at the outer borders of the soundstage. Its linear bass tuning...

The Audeze LCD-XC 2021 is a high-end, closed-back planar magnetic headphone priced at $1,800 that excels as both a music listening companion and a studio monitoring tool. Weighing 677 grams, it features a lighter design than its predecessor, a glossy carbon fiber cup pattern, and thick earpads that offer excellent passive noise isolation with minimal sound leakage. Sonically, it departs from the traditionally warm, thick Audeze house sound by offering a quicker, neutral-natural signature with a slightly bright tonality and a vivid, forward midrange. A standout feature is its exceptionally wide and deep soundstage—surpassing many open-back models—alongside elite instrument separation, top-tier resolution, and massive EQ headroom supported by the advanced Reveal+ VST plugin.

The Headfonics review of the 2021 Audeze LCD-XC highlights it as a top-tier, vocal-centric closed-back planar headphone with significantly improved comfort and build quality, including carbon fiber and leather, compared to earlier versions. It features excellent technical performance for its class, characterized by precise instrument separation, high-level micro-detail, and superior sound isolation suited for both critical monitoring and audiophile listening. However, the 677g weight can cause severe fatigue, constituting a major drawback for extended sessions. Sonically, while detailed, the stock tuning is not perfectly neutral, showing a recessed 1.5-5kHz upper-midrange region and an occasionally over-bright, sparkly treble. Additionally, the Creator Package default cable limits, prompting, in some views, the need for an added cost for balanced options.