So far, yes…I think the Ether is a much easier to “enjoy” and “relax” type headphones. It also helps that they are ridiculously light! They disappear on the head.
Also the LCD-X I think still has skin in the game though, mostly due to the fact that I think they would appeal to a broader audience.
I just grabbed the Preview set from Tyler this afternoon. It’s been a while since I’ve put on a set of LCD-series Audeze headphones – Man these are gigantic and heavy! I already know these aren’t for me in terms of size and weight, but the are definitely very attractive and built well.
First thing off the bat, and I was already warned about this from Tyler, is that these do not sound thick and rich like my previous LCD experiences. These are relatively lean and neutral on first listen. They remind me more of the Audeze Sine and iSine than the LCD series, but with much greater extension.
They look massive next to my Hifiman HE560.
The LCD-X seem more comfortable with time worn. They start out feeling heavy, but as you wear them, it becomes less noticeable. Enjoy.
I’ve found that my LCD-2Cs aren’t heavy enough to bother me, but the super thick cushions create undue pressure on the sides of the head. So, now I mash the top of the cushions against my skull for a few seconds when I put them on. This evens the pressure and makes them more comfortable.
Mashing the skull has the added benefit of lowering my IQ for several minutes, and only during this period I can thoroughly appreciate mainstream pop music.
I highly recommend shortening the headband strap. As a result of doing this, you end up having to extend the yokes a bit further and the clamp loosens.
I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair of these hp’s love the Audeze sound…
Keep your eyes open for LCD-X B-stocks…Moon Audio has them from time to time. The version without the storage case is deeply discounted as well.
Welcome to the forums @abvolt.
awesome and thanks for the suggestion on the b-stock didn’t know this, I’ll keep an eye on them…
Audeze LCD-X
I received this headphone through The Headphone Community’s Preview Program and here is a quick review of the headphone.
I have owned and listened to several Audeze headphones in the past and when I first put on the LCD-X, I was pretty shocked at how it wasn’t what I expected. I came into listening to it without reading any reviews prior, and was only forewarned in advanced that the tuning isn’t typical Audeze. Yet still, I was surprised to hear a lean, brighter headphone than the normal Audeze LCD house sound, which has always been deep, rich bass, and warmer mids.
The LCD-X is built like a tank. The metal cups and headband make this unit feel indestructible. It’s big, it’s massive, and it’s also heavy – quite a bit heavier than what I am comfortable with. This is a long-standing battle with the Audeze LCD series, and even the EL-8. It’s relegated my ownership of Audeze in the past to the Audeze Sine, iSine, and Mobius, which are much lighter in comparison.
So back to sound again: This headphone is different.
First off, and yet another surprise was how sensitive these drivers were! I had to go much lower on the dial than my other planar headphones and even the Focal Elex when using these.
It plays neutral, but doesn’t do it completely right to me. Something is just a bit off on it. The bass doesn’t carry the rich deep hitting magic that I am used to in upper tier planars, and the mids just aren’t as lush, and this is even comparing it side-by-side with the Hifiman HE560, which is a brighter planar headphone itself.
Air is much more apparent on the LCD-X though, and it definitely has a nice sense of it, along with a very detailed, clean sound. Transients are fast and transitions from bass to mids are good and clean.
When listening to various acoustic rock and post-rock/atmospheric songs, I find the upper mids and treble to be occasionally disjointed and a little harsh. Maybe some of this is also due to how closed in the headphone sounds, with a smaller soundstage and therefore a lot of the sounds don’t have as much room to breathe on their own, and driving it at you all at once.
Wrap-up
What kind of surprised me here was that I came in with an expectation that this was just another thick sounding LCD series headphone and my initial reaction was, wow, this sounds more like the Audeze Sine – which was more of a neutral and leaner sound but still had an Audeze feel to it. And I love the Sine and everything about it – sans the small pads. But I feel like the smaller soundstage and more up front treble presentation is a little too much congestion for me.
Other Info
Sources: RME ADI-2 DAC / Monolith THX-AAA Balanced Amp
Wow that’s a hefty 4k dip. Is that a result of your rig?
It’s the normal Audeze dip at 4KHz. But since this is compensated to Harman Target curve, it’s exacerbated. EARS also does some weird resonance things at this frequency too, so could be a combination of both.
Dang miniDSP…those EARS need some cleaning 
Was really hoping the X would have been able to defeat that 4k dip. It’s pretty noticeable on the 2C, but any time I EQ it out, the whole character of the headphone seems to fall apart for me.
On a positive note, hubba hubba at the Focal plot.
So I will probably re-measure it tonight. Some more experienced folks with EARS told me to try to add more clamping pressure to the unit when using EARS to reduce the 4K craziness, though it still won’t solve it.
Good review @antdroid I’ve read many very positive reviews on the X’s so I’ll be getting a pair soon, after some time I’ll be happy to post a mini review on my findings. I will agree with you the 560’s are too bright for my liking luckily I got a good sale when I purchased them…enjoy
Are you using the Audeze EQ by chance? I use their custom settings in Roon. I definitely prefer the Audeze DSP engaged.
Any recommendations on a good dealer to buy these hp’s how is headphones.com ? never bought from them…Thanks
Well, I’m biased, but headphones.com is the best headphone dealer I’ve worked with. I was a customer long before this forum came to pass and have always been happy with the service.
They ship quickly, have best return policy there is and are great people to deal with.
I have no stake in Headphones.com and can say it’s the best buying experience I’ve had regarding headphone and it’s related gear.
Taron is very knowledgeable and very friendly in all his dealings. He’s also very prompt at getting back to you. This has been my experiences with him anyhow. There’s also another chap that helps out too, I think they call him Andrew. 
. /s
