Audeze LCD 2 Headphones - Paduak - Leather Free - Includes Case and Adaptor

The Headphone That Started All of This

When Audeze released the LCD-2 in 2009, planar magnetic headphones went from a curiosity to the thing serious listeners wanted — the model that established the clear, spacious, physically present sound the company became known for.

It's been refined steadily ever since rather than replaced, and this version pairs hand-finished Padauk wood earcup rings — a warm, deep red hardwood — with leather-free earpads for every listening session.

Steve Guttenberg at CNET.com called the original LCD-2 "the best-sounding full-size headphone on the planet," and that reputation has carried the model through well over a decade of steady refinement since its debut.

Where the Planar Diaphragm Earns Its Keep

Moving as One Piece, Not Flexing at a Point

A conventional headphone driver is a small cone pushed from a single point at its center, prone to flexing and breaking up. Audeze's planar diaphragm is a near-weightless film driven evenly across its entire surface.

A dual-sided staggered magnet array roughly four times the area of a typical dynamic driver delivers speed and low distortion, with bass that has genuine physical weight and stops cleanly rather than blurring.

Leather-Free Pads, the Same Warm Signature

This version uses Audeze's leather-free earpads, chosen for listeners who'd rather avoid animal products entirely without giving up any of the LCD-2's signature warmth or comfort across long listening sessions.

Audeze's patented Fazor waveguides manage how sound leaves the driver on its way to your ear, reducing distortion and tightening imaging noticeably, and the LCD-2's overall tuning leans warm and rich throughout.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Srajan Ebaen at 6moons.com proclaimed "hail the new king," writing that Audeze had "morphed so quickly... into the top echelon" of headphone makers with the LCD-2's original arrival on the scene.

Jeff Dorgay of TONEAudio called it "the most enjoyable headphones I've ever experienced," naming it his main reference standard against which he judges every other headphone.

Who Is the LCD-2 Best For?

• You want the warmest, most forgiving headphone in Audeze's lineup: imperfect recordings still sound musical rather than exposed
• You'd rather avoid leather on your headphones: leather-free pads deliver the same warm LCD-2 signature without it
• You listen for hours at a stretch: the smooth, non-fatiguing treble and rich midrange reward long, relaxed sessions
• Your library isn't all audiophile-grade recordings: the LCD-2's warm tuning is the most forgiving of source material in the LCD line
• You want Audeze warmth and ease — the LCD-2 is the relaxed, forgiving end of the range

How Does It Connect to Your System?

The cable attaches with mini-XLR connectors at the base of each earcup, terminating in a 1/4" TRS plug with a 1/8" adapter included for any smaller headphone jack.

At 70 ohms and 101dB/mW, the LCD-2 isn't punishing to drive, but it won't give its best from a phone or laptop jack — a dedicated headphone amp is where these come alive.

Pairs Well With

What finishes the system around an LCD-2:

• Headphone amplifiers — real drive brings out the bass authority and dynamics this driver is capable of
• Digital-to-analog converters — a clean digital source feeding your amp matters as much as the amp itself
• Headphone cables — the mini-XLR connectors open the door to balanced or aftermarket options
• Headphone stands — a proper resting spot for hand-finished Padauk wood craftsmanship

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a headphone amplifier?

You'll want one. At 70 ohms and 101dB/mW the LCD-2 will make sound from most sources, but it needs real drive to deliver the bass authority and dynamics it's capable of.

Do the leather-free pads sound different from leather?

Slightly. Some listeners find the two pad materials sound very slightly different from one another in the midrange, but both are built around the same current headphone, so neither is objectively better.

Will people around me hear my music?

Yes — that's the nature of an open-back design. The open earcup is what creates the LCD-2's sense of space and air, but sound escapes freely in both directions.

How is this different from the LCD-X?

The LCD-2 is warmer and more forgiving with imperfect recordings. The LCD-X is more neutral and revealing, aimed at critical listening, and considerably easier to drive.

What's included in the box?

The LCD-2, its cable and adapter, a travel case, a wood care kit, a personalized frequency response graph, and Audeze's 3-year warranty documentation.

Where is the LCD-2 made?

Handcrafted in Audeze's Southern California workshop, the same facility that has built every LCD-2 since the model's introduction back in 2009.

See It in Action

The Headphone Show presents The NEWER Audeze LCD-2 and LCD-3??.

The Headphone Show presents Audeze LCD-2 Review: 2020 Version - Hidden Potential?.

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