This is the graph of my LCD X.
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LCD-1 vs Harman vs Audeze house target for an example (GRAS 60318-4 compliant system):
Source: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audeze-lcd-1.917165/page-45#post-15293868
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What is the difference between compensated and uncompensated graphs, exactly? I’m guessing compensated graphs show response values as an offset from the target response instead of an absolute value (in other words, a target frequency response would be a straight line in a graph compensated to itself)? That’s a bit annoying
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Correct. A compensated graph can be meaningful if the target is well known and understood. For example, showing friend response relative to an HD650 could be quite useful since many are familiar with how that sounds.
So, after several attempts to EQ (with varying success) I stumbled upon oratory1990’s EQ for the LCD-X (comment with link: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/h9snhw/i_made_custom_dsp_correction_filters_for_the_lcdx/fuzxksl/) . The measurements for the unit in the PDF seemed similar to mine (at least, when I mentally flattened it to a compensated graph - so admittedly, the error margin is significant).
And… it sounded really good, better than my own EQ attempts so far. All I did was lower the bass and upper mids by 2dB, since they sounded a bit exaggerated to my ears (likely because oratory1990’s EQ targets the Harman 2018 curve, of which I’ve read similar complaints)
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Yes, always use your ears in the end to do the final tweaks. Harman strikes me as shouty at ear resonance as well, and I think resolve has had a similar experience when making EQs by ear, guided loosely by graphs. LCD X is enormously off target in the upper mids, but one should still not overcompensate regardless
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My EQ (Equalizer APO) for LCD-X (THX AAA 887 and Topping E30):
GraphicEQ: 20 -10.53; 24.9 -10.46; 32.3 -10.53; 40.4 -10.53; 50 -10.46; 64.8 -10.53; 80.2 -11.01; 99.8 -11.69; 126.7 -12.3; 156.6 -13.45; 199.4 -14.07; 266.7 -13.79; 347.8 -13.37; 434.7 -12.16; 500.1 -13.66; 579.3 -12.5; 770.8 -14.88; 1004.1 -13.18; 1415.3 -10.06; 1794 -6.63; 2169.9 -2.58; 2491.9 -0.95; 2797.2 0; 3286.3 -0.27; 3929.1 -1.83; 4994.5 -3.74; 6013.4 -3.53; 8028.2 -3.67; 10099 -6.18; 13271 -6.8; 20038 -9
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I’d be curious to know this as well. Once upon a time I was considering buying these as I was originally impressed with the sound of the LCD-1 (before hearing the superior Sundara).
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Has anyone done the EQ in roon? If so, does this look right, the right hand side I see a slider where I think you adjust pre-amplifying, Andrews has his at -7, if I do not do the -7 on this slider in roon it distorts like crazy.
A few things on that. Make sure the LCD-X you have is the same one I did the video on, because if it’s a different variant it will require a different EQ. Also, ensure that the pre-gain is below 0 regardless what adjustments you make. And then lastly, don’t go by individual sliders in EQ APO when converting it to a curve in Roon. The sliders don’t function independently, and are more compounded by other adjustments the wider the Q value is. So if you boost 2khz by 3dB, boosting 3khz by 3dB with a wide Q value will mean that the 2khz boost you made previously is now being impacted by the 3khz boost. Does that help?
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My LCD-Xs I bought around the late 2019, I think they are the same I would need to look into it.
So this is what Roon looks like on my end! I think I followed your EQ exactly with gain values and Q. Would the EQ in Roon work differently compared to the one you are using in your post above? Thanks again.
If it’s crackling, that probably means the pre-gain isn’t low enough. Those drivers can take crazy amounts of EQ. You may want to go a bit more conservative in Roon, but yeah generally it should be able to transfer over.
So that right slider I think is the pre-gain, unless I missing something. When I drop it to -7 it seems to work well, no distortion.
Nice, so it looks like I did it right then, sweet, thanks man. I really appreciate your help. Only problem is my LCD-X does not have the mesh behind the driver, so mine is not the same model then. Looks like I will be looking for another EQ, but I get the gist of it now.
Its crazy with EQ it sounds great, when I turn it off and go back to the Audeze presets it sounds grainy almost. Thanks again.
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Nice! Glad it works out. You may want to go even lower than -7, just looking at the adjustment there. But yeah pretty wild how much of a difference EQ on these can make.
Will do, thanks again. I know, I was honestly just about to sell them. I have had these over a year now and I only listened to them once in a blue moon.
Now, I am like holy crap, this is a completely different listening experience.
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“So that right slider I think is the pre-gain, unless I missing something.”
I think this is correct. There’s also Headroom Management (above the Filters section in your screenshot) which includes a Headroom Adjustment that I assume is equivalent to pre-gain, but I’m not sure. Also included under Headroom Management is an option to Show Clipping Indicator.
Thank you very much, I appreciate the help.
You were correct Headroom management did something similar to the pre-gain slider there on the right.
I lowered it to -8 and raised the EQ back to 0 and no clipping now.
This sounds amazing, thank you both for your help. The EQ I applied was for the newer model, mine is from 2019 with the cloth in front of the drivers. Going on a mission to see if I can locate the EQ specifically for this model.
I found Metal571’s EQ settings from his review. Here they are below, this is for the model without the mesh behind the grill from my understanding.
I just do not know if on 100Hz and 6000Hz where there is no Q value listed if it should be 0 or 1 maybe?
I have a question is audeze unit variance a thing or is it because of the revisions because with my lcdx I dont feels the bass everyone talks about, its pretty much the same as my ananda…