Audeze LCD-2 Planar Magnetic Headphones

Engineered and handcrafted in the USA, this is the iconic Audeze with a warm, more forgiving tonal balance.

Here’s the headphone that started it all. The LCD-2 was the very first headphone sold by Audeze, and helped lead it to the coveted position as the world’s leading manufacturer of planar magnetic headphones. Although it’s seen improvements over the years, the LCD-2 retains the iconic warmth and tonal balance that have made it a customer favorite since its original release. If you’re looking for a high-end headphone for at-home listening that exemplifies the Audeze experience and tradition, look no further than the LCD-2.

The most forgiving of the LCD headphones, the LCD Origins series offers an engaging musical experience that features powerful bass and a rich midrange. Connect to the music as though you’re in the room with the musicians. Speed, immediacy, and dynamic impact are the trademarks of the Audeze house sound, and the headphone that started it all for Audeze has these traits in spades.

The LCD-2’s sound signature is classic Audeze through and through—linear and transparent, but with a unique hint of warmth and midrange density, and is apparently still the favorite of founder Sankar Thiagasamudram. Since the beginning of Audeze over 10 years ago, the LCD-2 has been priced at $995, and that price has held, making this a phenomenal value.

Of all the Audeze headphones, we think this one has the greatest liquidity, smoothness, and density packed in for the asking price. It’s hard to state just exactly how much value is packed into the planar magnetic drivers on this headphone. Add in the fact that at 70 ohms it will make a great pairing with Feliks OTL amplifiers and other tube gear, and this is a hard headphone to resist.

Recommended amplifier pairings include the Feliks Echo and Elise, as well as the Pathos Aurium.

Audeze headphones are engineered and handcrafted in the USA to exacting quality standards. The beautiful wood rings are precisely matched by grain and color for a sophisticated look to match Audeze’s premium audio quality. The real wood rings are hand-crafted right here in Southern California, and fit and finish is of the highest order.

Specifications

Style: Over-ear, open-back

Transducer: Planar magnetic with proprietary Neodymium N50 magnet array

Phase Management: Fazor

Diaphragm Type: Ultra-thin

Transducer Size: 106 mm

Maximum Power Handling: 5 W RMS

Maximum SPL: >130 dB

Frequency Response: 10 Hz to 50 kHz

Impedance: 70 ohms

Sensitivity (1 mW at Drum Reference Point): 101 dB

Minimum Power Requirement: >100 mW

Recommended Power Level: >250 mW

Weight: 595 g