Audeze LCD-5 Flagship Headphones

Audeze LCD-5 Review - Chrono's Take - Written Review by Chrono

The LCD-5 sets a new standard for accuracy with Audeze's award-winning Fluxor magnets and updated Fazor waveguides along with new patent-pending Parallel Uniforce™ voice coils. The entire headphone was completely re-designed for minimal reflections and resonance, improved frequency response, and a more open yet pinpoint-accurate soundstage. Its impedance is 14 Ohms, sensitivity is 90dB, and it weighs only 420 grams! The Audeze LCD-5 comes with new acoustically designed leather ear pads, an improved and luxurious carbon fibre suspension headband, deep “tortoise shell” acetate rings, all-new magnesium housing, plus Audeze's latest premium audio cable and aluminum travel case.

Audeze's Latest Flagship, 1/3 Less Weight!

For the past decade, Audeze’s LCD series has set the standard for planar magnetic headphone performance. Starting with the LCD-2 that ushered in a new era of planar technology in 2009, we then introduced the LCD-3 in 2011 and LCD-4 in 2015. With the LCD-5, everything has been improved – drivers, earpads, frame design - to set a new standard for performance and comfort.

Transparency, Resolution, and Speed

The LCD-5 sets a new standard for accuracy. Its drivers are engineered with our award-winning Fluxor magnets and updated Fazor waveguides along with our new Patent-pending Parallel Uniforce™ voice coils, which employ varying width parallel traces to keep the impedance low and provide increased voltage headroom by altering the current density within each trace. The uniform force created by this optimization lowers distortion and provides better control over diaphragm movement, resulting in improved sonic resolution.

Clarity and Imaging

We’ve optimized every aspect of the LCD-5’s acoustic chamber to achieve pinpoint imaging and an extremely clean and clear soundstage. The new sculpted earpads and acoustically transparent mesh are designed to minimize reflections and resonance, while the Parallel Uniforce™ voice coil allows increased space between magnets for improved frequency response and a more open soundstage. LCD-5 also features newly designed low-profile Fazor waveguides to further reduce diffractions and interactions with the ear.

Elegant Comfortable Design

Weighing in at only 420 grams, the LCD-5 offers hours of listening pleasure. Every part has been re-engineered, using materials such as magnesium, aluminum and acetate which offer light weight and high rigidity. When you put on a pair of LCD-5s, your head and ears are cradled in materials of the finest quality. Supple premium leather and carbon-fiber pull all the elements together into a package of the finest craftsmanship, which we hand-assemble in our California workshop.

Sculpted Earpads

Our new sculpted, internally sloped earpad architecture reduces unwanted resonances and interior reflections. The ergonomic design cradles your cranium, and helps naturally place the headphone in the optimal listening position. The pads have less contact surface area than standard designs to reduce fatigue while providing a superior seal for all shapes and sizes.

Ultra High Purity Cable

The LCD-5 cable is specially tuned with directional OCC high-purity copper strands that provide a low capacitance and low resistance path for the signal to travel from your amp to the drivers, maintaining unsurpassed clarity and precision.

Highlights

• Nano-scale diaphragm and Fluxor™ magnets offer ultimate control over diaphragm movement
• Parallel Uniforce™ voice coils for ultra-low distortion that’s inaudible at nearly any SPL
• Enhanced transparency and accuracy, with increased presence region response
• Extremely fast transient response and wide frequency response
• 90mm planar magnetic drivers with essentially the same diaphragm area as the LCD-4
• Diaphragm material is thinner than a red blood cell
• Increased efficiency and control over diaphragm movement
• Diaphragm offers dramatically reduced distortion, especially at high frequencies
• Accurate phase response, neutral frequency response, and wide accurate soundstage
• Varying parallel single-trace widths equalizes magnetic force on diaphragm
• Patented process provides most accurate voicecoil pattern available
• Reduced interference of sound waves
• Better seal on a wider variety of head shapes for consistent comfort
• Reduced parallel surfaces reduce resonance to equalize frequency response
• Smaller foam than other LCD pads for less absorption of frequencies
• The sloped interior foam more easily conforms to the surface around the listener’s ears
• New acoustically designed earpads have a more neutral upper midrange response
• Provides extreme detail, ensuring no signal quality is lost between amp and headphones
• More extended high and low frequencies, better transparency of sound
• Single-crystal copper strands, directionally oriented for best conductivity
• Premium quality connectors for solid connection and durability
• Specially designed OCC copper cable material of ultra-high purity

In The Box

• Audeze LCD-5 Flagship Planar Magnetic Headphones
• Premium Braided 2.5m Cable 4-Pin XLR Balanced cable
• 4-Pin XLR to 1/4" adapter 
• Aluminum Travel Case
• Certificate of Authenticity and Warranty Cards