GEAR MINI TESTS
AUDEZE LCD-X £1149/$1199 audeze.com If your background is professional audio recording and mastering for TV and films, you’ll already know an essential part of the toolkit is a serious set of reference-quality headphones. For those of us from a stills or camera operator background, chances are you use regular commercial headphones to monitor your sound when editing. The problem is that unless your room is properly sound tested and calibrated for a natural response – yes, even when wearing headphones – then you’re not in the right place to get the best out of your audio. If you edit on cheap computer speakers, or even expensive name- brand consumer headphones, these are built to make the music from a smartphone sound as full and bassy as possible. Again, that’s far from ideal for natural sound. What you need are professional over-ear cans designed for the job. And while low-end units can be had relatively cheaply, top headphones like the Audeze LCD-X are definitely a level above. Yes, the price is £1149/$1199, but they will give service for many years. And in our tests, it was possible to hear the nuances in sound just not there in lower-quality units – even ones designed for editing.
SPECIFICATIONS Type: Over ear, open back Transducer: 106mm planar magnetic Diaphragm: Ultra-thin Uniforce Magnet: Neodymium N50 Impedance: 20 Ohms Frequency response: 10Hz-50kHz Sensitivity: 103dB/1mW Max power handling: 5W RMS Connection: Dual mini XLR Cable: 190cm/6.2ft, 20 AWG high-purity OCC audio-grade copper Weight: 612g/1.35lb eliminating the breakup modes found in other designs, improving focus and clarity. All we know is they sound very clean, accurate and incredibly clear. We just used them right out of the box, and they were instantly a huge improvement over lesser cans. But if you’re extra serious about your audio, the Audeze Reveal+ plug-in software costs £199/$199 per year – though it’s half that for the first year if bought with the headphones direct from Audeze. This software works with professional audio mastering programs and calibrates the sound to your own ears and the actual room in which you are working. The drivers are handmade in Audeze’s southern California factory and simply look and feel like a high- quality product. From the adjustable headband mechanism to the long, coiled cable, everything is premium. They even come in a fitted aluminium carrying case. The headphones are large and relatively heavy, but their comfortable fit meant we had no problems using them all day. We tried the basic Creator package, which comes with a 6.35mm to dual four-pin mini XLR cable – as the cans have dual XLR inputs. The more expensive Premium package comes with an additional four-pin balanced XLR cable for professional mixing desks, a single-ended 1/4in braided copper cable, a 1/4in-to-1/8in stereo adapter and premium travel case. But the basic kit is all most video editors will ever need. PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 Reference-quality headphones but large and pricey Pros: Incredibly accurate sound Cons: Big and heavy
HEAVY ON THE HEAD
It’s clear to see the LCD-X cans are significant in size
LCD-X are the first headphones designed by Californian brand Audeze specifically with the needs of creators in mind. They have the company’s most neutral drivers and are designed to reveal minute details with crystal- clear transparency, to ensure your mix translates to any speaker system. They make a real difference even to my ears, which have been battered with years of going to loud rock gigs and riding, racing and filming motorcycles. I’m a bit of an amateur audiophile. But even so, I was sceptical I’d hear any difference – but I really could. If your hearing’s sharper than mine, the difference will be greater. Its low-impedance transducers will work with a variety of sources. From your phone or editing computer in the studio, the LCD-X provides high volume without a headphone amplifier. If you want to enjoy music with them, they do benefit from a high-quality amp, though. Earcups are made from polished black anodised aluminium with premium lambskin leather ear pads. A vegan option is available. Audeze says its sound is fast, dynamic and accurate, with proprietary technology
LCD SOUND SYSTEM The Audeze headphones deliver detail that’s just astonishing
“They reveal minute details with crystal- clear transparency”
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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