Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I review audio gear on YouTube. My channel is No Theme Reviews. This headphone was the most overhyped product of 2019. Audeze and its marketing team (including the professional "reviewers" who collaborated with Audeze) promised a neutral sound signature, and a headphone that is perfect for mixing and mastering. Instead, they delivered a mediocre headphone with astonishingly mediocre sound, comfort and features. People get excited to read "planar magnetic driver" in the headphone specs; what is often unaddressed is that planars are not categorically better than dynamic drivers; indeed, some dynamic headphones sound noticeably better than their planar counterparts. The first big hype bullet point for the LCD-1 is that it is an "affordable" planar magnetic headphone. This is totally untrue. Hifiman has been selling more affordable planars for years. Audeze is late to the game. The next bullet point is that the LCD-1 provides neutral sound signature for professionals. This, too, is untrue. In my numerous tests and comparisons I found that the LCD-1 is a dark sounding headphone. It has some of the worst soundstage for a planar magnetic I have ever heard. At best, the LCD-1 has average soundstage, and on most tracks it has below average soundstage. The LCD-1 also has a noticeable bass roll-off; there is very little sub-bass presence. The mids are not clear or accurate; instead, the mids sound a bit recessed and get a little muddy with the bass. The treble has a roll-off as well; it is pleasant to listen to, but is nowhere close to accurate. In sum, the LCD-1 is not neutral. The third bullet point is that the the LCD-1 is comfortable and transportable. Comfort is a very individualistic analysis, but I must say it is hardly comfortable to me. The earpads are annoyingly stiff. They do not seem to be made of memory foam; instead, their density and springiness reminds me of cheap mattress sponge. The headband padding is no better; the padding feels like Audeze took the cheap mattress stuffing and slapped it onto the headband. The LCD-1 has a slightly above average clamping force; this in itself is not particularly bad. However, the earpads are small for my average-sized ears. The earpads bend the top of my ears and cause pressure points that become unbearable after about an hour. Combine all of these issues and you can imagine how uncomfortable the LCD-1 truly is. Audeze's claims that the LCD-1 is portable is a laughable insult to portable headphones. The LCD-1's earcups fold into themselves. Do you know how much room they save? I measured it. When folded, the LCD-1 is about 1.5 inches smaller. Audeze is making a big deal out of 1.5 inches. Moreover, the case that Audeze includes adds that 1.5 inches back, and then some...so you don't save any room at all. You'll need to put the headphones into their case because of the plastic build. The hyped fourth bullet point is the Audeze name. Big names like Bob Katz and Metal571 lauded the Audeze name in their comments. I have most of Audeze's headphones, and I can say without hesitation, the LCD-1 is not the same as any of the other full-sized Audeze products. The LCD-1 doesn't sound like the LCD-2 or the Sine or the EL-8. Their sonic differences are greater between the LCD-1 and LCD-2 than with the LCD-1 and the Sine/EL-8, but the differences are noticeable nonetheless. You might argue that the LCD-1 is a new sound signature and Audeze should be complimented for trying something new. The problem is their false advertisement. Had Audeze honestly said that the LCD-1 is a warm-sounding headphone for pleasure listening, it would be a different story. Unfortunately, Audeze and its collaborating "reviewers" claim the LCD-1 is the "best headphone under $500." This is total nonsense. I conducted numerous head-to-head tests, and found the opposite. The LCD-1 sounds very similar to the HD6xx. The Hifiman Sundara has more soundstage and cleaner presentation. The Rane RH-50 has wider soundstage, cleaner presentation, more neutral sound signature, is more comfortable, and also folds. The Ollo Audio S4 is unmistakably more neutral than the LCD-1. Those who claim that the LCD-1 is "the best" cannot be trusted. Without detailed A/B tests, such claims are meaningless and should be viewed with skepticism. Overall, the LCD-1 is an average-sounding headphone that does nothing well. You can find more detailed, wider-sounding presentation in the $50 RH-50. You can find better neutrality for $300 in the Ollo S4. Don't get fooled into buying this headphone. It has deceptive marketing, and is not worth the MSRP.