Audeze LCD-X - Headphones - Black - Leather Ear Pads - Travel Case

Audeze LCD-X Headphones - Black - Leather Ear Pads - Travel Case

What It Does in Your System

The Reference Headphone That Doesn't Demand a Reference Amplifier

The LCD-X has been Audeze's best-selling headphone since 2013, and it occupies a specific niche in the LCD line: a low-impedance, high-sensitivity design aimed at people who need accuracy. Many hit records have been mixed on these.

At 20 ohms and 103dB/mW, it's among the most efficient headphones Audeze makes — it will play from almost any device with a headphone output. That's unusual for a planar magnetic headphone of this caliber, and it means the LCD-X doesn't force you into an amplifier purchase before you can hear what it does.

A 106mm Diaphragm That Starts and Stops on Command

A conventional headphone driver is a small cone pushed from a single point, prone to flexing and breaking up. The LCD-X uses an ultra-thin Uniforce diaphragm 106mm across, driven evenly over its entire surface by a double-sided neodymium N50 magnet array with Fazor waveguides.

The transient response that produces is about as fast as you could ask for, and the bass has genuine punch — a quality planar headphones aren't always known for. Distortion stays at 0.1% even at 100dB, so the presentation holds together when you turn it up rather than hardening.

The 2021 Revision Fixed the Things People Complained About

Audeze substantially reworked the LCD-X for its current version. The magnet array was reconfigured and simplified, which retuned the frequency response and addressed the uneven upper midrange of earlier examples. The suspension headband and revised ear pads improved both fit and seal consistency across different head shapes.

It also shed roughly 50 grams in the process. At 612 grams the LCD-X is still a substantial headphone, but the wide suspension headband and deep lambskin pads distribute that weight considerably better than the design it replaced.

Is This Right for You?

A few things to think through before ordering:

• You want accuracy, not flattery. The LCD-X is voiced neutral and revealing — it's a mixing and mastering tool as much as a listening headphone. If you'd rather have a warmer, more forgiving presentation with imperfect recordings, the LCD-2 is the friendlier choice in the same family.
• Low impedance cuts both ways. These are easy to drive, but their high sensitivity also means a noisy amplifier's hiss becomes audible. A quiet amp matters more here than a powerful one — tell us what you're running and we'll be straight with you.
• This is an open-back design. Sound goes out as freely as it comes in. That's what produces the spaciousness, but it rules these out for shared rooms, tracking with a live mic, or anywhere you need isolation.

Setup & Installation

The cable attaches with mini-XLR connectors at the base of each earcup — line up the pins and push until each connector latches. Adjust fit using the yoke rods on either side, then let the suspension headband carry the weight across the top of your head rather than clamping it against the sides.

Connect to your amplifier, interface, or DAC using the supplied cable and the included adapter if your output jack is a different size. At 612 grams these are worth taking a moment to seat properly — get the pads sealing evenly around your ears and the bass response and comfort both improve noticeably. The travel case is worth using between sessions; the lambskin pads compress if the headphones sit under something.

Features & Specifications

106mm Ultra-Thin Uniforce Diaphragm
A large, near-weightless planar diaphragm driven evenly across its full surface for speed and low distortion.

Double-Sided Neodymium N50 Magnet Array
Magnets on both sides of the diaphragm, reconfigured in the current version to reduce weight while retuning the response.

Fazor Waveguides
Audeze's patented waveguides manage sound leaving the driver, reducing distortion and sharpening imaging.

Low Impedance, High Sensitivity
20 ohms and 103dB/mW make the LCD-X unusually easy to drive for a planar magnetic headphone of this class.

Specifications

• Type: Open-back, over-ear planar magnetic headphones
• Impedance: 20 ohms
• Sensitivity: 103 dB/mW
• Frequency response: 10Hz – 50kHz
• Total harmonic distortion: 0.1% at 100dB
• Driver size: 106mm
• Diaphragm: Ultra-thin Uniforce
• Magnet structure: Proprietary neodymium N50 array with Fazor waveguides
• Earpads: Genuine lambskin leather
• Headband: Suspension design
• Weight: 612g
• Cable connection: Dual mini-XLR at the earcups
• Assembly: Handcrafted and calibrated in Audeze's Southern California facility
• Included: Headphones, cable, adapter, travel case, user guide and warranty card

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a headphone amplifier?
Not strictly — at 20 ohms and 103dB/mW the LCD-X will play properly from most sources, including a laptop or phone. That said, it scales with better electronics, and a quiet, well-designed amplifier gets more out of it. Because sensitivity is high, amplifier noise floor matters more than raw output power.

How does the LCD-X differ from the LCD-2?
The LCD-2 is warmer and more forgiving — the easier listen with imperfect recordings. The LCD-X is the more neutral, more revealing headphone, aimed at critical listening and studio work, and it's considerably easier to drive. Neither replaces the other; they're voiced for different purposes.

Will people around me hear my music?
Yes — that's the nature of an open-back design. The open earcup creates the LCD-X's sense of space and air, but sound escapes freely in both directions. Superb for a quiet room; not suitable for a shared space or for tracking with an open microphone.

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