Audeze LCD-X - Headphones - Black - Leather Free Ear pads - Travel Case

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

What It Does in Your System

The Headphone Studios Actually Use

The LCD-X has been Audeze's best-selling headphone since it launched in 2013. Plenty of records you've heard were mixed on a pair. Engineers reach for it because it tells the truth about a recording rather than flattering it.

This is the current 2021 revision, and it's a real overhaul rather than a refresh. Audeze reworked the magnet array, thinned the diaphragm film, retuned the sound, and replaced the old headband with a suspension design that spreads the weight much better.

106mm Planar Drivers

A normal headphone uses a cone attached to a voice coil at one point. A planar magnetic driver works differently. It suspends a very light sheet of film between magnet arrays, with the conductive trace printed right onto the film itself.

That means force gets applied evenly across the whole surface instead of at one spot. Less mass, more even push, and the driver starts and stops faster. You hear it as speed and detail that a cone struggles to match. Audeze adds Fazor elements that guide sound through the earcup for better imaging and reach.

Leather-Free Pads and a Travel Case

This version comes with Audeze's leather-free ear pads, filled with acoustic foam chosen for both fit and sound. If you'd rather not have leather on your headphones, this is the same LCD-X without it.

A travel case is included, which matters on a headphone this size. The steel and leather suspension headband carries the weight across the top of your head instead of pressing on one spot.

Is This Right for You?

A few things to think about before you order:

• These are open-back headphones. Sound goes out and room noise comes in. That's what gives them their spacious sound, but it also means people nearby will hear your music. For a shared space or a recording session with a live mic, look at the closed-back LCD-XC instead.
• They're heavy. Planar drivers need real magnets, and the LCD-X lands around 612 grams. The suspension headband handles that well, but it's a lot more than a typical headphone.
• They work off a phone but deserve better. At 20 ohms and 103dB per milliwatt, almost anything will drive them to volume. A proper headphone amp is where they open up.

Setup & Installation

The cable connects at both earcups with 4-pin mini-XLR plugs. They lock in place, and you can replace them. That's a real advantage, because the cable is usually the first thing to fail on a headphone.

Audeze includes a cable with a 4-pin XLR end plus adapters for standard headphone jacks, so the LCD-X works with balanced and regular outputs alike. Store them in the travel case when you're not listening. The ear pads are glued in place, so they aren't meant to be swapped at home.

Features & Specifications

106mm Planar Magnetic Drivers
Large, ultra-thin diaphragms with double-sided magnet arrays push evenly across the whole surface for speed a cone can't match.

Fazor Elements
Guides built into the earcup shape how sound travels, improving imaging and extending frequency reach.

Leather-Free Ear Pads
Acoustic foam pads chosen for fit and sound, with no leather anywhere on the headphone.

Replaceable 4-Pin Mini-XLR Cables
Locking connectors at each cup let you swap or upgrade the cable instead of retiring the headphone.

Specifications

• Style: Over-ear, open-back
• Driver Type: Planar magnetic
• Driver Size: 106mm
• Frequency Response: 12Hz – 20kHz, extending to 50kHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB per 1mW
• Impedance: 20 ohms
• Weight: About 612g
• Ear Pads: Leather-free, acoustic foam filled
• Cable Connection: Dual 4-pin mini-XLR
• Included: Cable with adapters, travel case
• Finish: Black
• Handcrafted in California, USA

Frequently Asked Questions

How do these differ from the LCD-XC?
Same drivers and the same basic build. The LCD-X is open-backed, which gives it a more spacious, airy sound. The LCD-XC is closed, so it blocks outside noise and keeps your music in. Pick the X for private listening in a quiet room, the XC when isolation matters.

Do the leather-free pads sound different?
Slightly. Ear pad material and shape both affect how a headphone measures, and listeners who've compared the two report small differences in the midrange. Neither is better — it comes down to preference and whether you want leather on your headphones.

Do I need a headphone amplifier?
Not to get volume. At 20 ohms and 103dB per milliwatt, a phone or laptop will drive them. But they scale with power, and a good amp brings more grip in the bass and more space between performers.

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