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

The Headphone Studios Actually Use

The Audeze LCD-X has been Audeze's best-selling headphone since it launched in 2013, and 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, a real overhaul rather than a refresh: Audeze reworked the magnet array, thinned the diaphragm film, retuned the overall sound, and replaced the old headband entirely with a suspension design that spreads the weight far better across your head.

This version ships with Audeze's leather-free ear pads and a travel case, for listeners who'd rather keep any leather off their headphones entirely without giving up anything else the LCD-X does.

Where the 106mm Planar Driver Earns Its Keep

A Diaphragm That Starts and Stops on Command

A conventional headphone driver is a cone pushed from a single point, prone to flexing and breaking up. The LCD-X uses an ultra-thin Uniforce diaphragm driven evenly across 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 carries genuine punch — a quality planar headphones aren't always known for — while distortion stays at 0.1% even at 100dB.

Leather-Free Pads, Acoustic Foam Filled

This version uses Audeze's leather-free ear pads, filled with acoustic foam chosen for both fit and sound rather than treated as a simple substitution for leather — the same LCD-X sound signature without any leather on the headphone at all.

At 612 grams the LCD-X is a substantial headphone, but the wide suspension headband distributes that weight across the top of your head considerably better than the design it replaced back in 2021.

Who Is the LCD-X Best For?

• You want accuracy, not flattery: the LCD-X is voiced neutral and revealing, a genuine mixing and mastering tool
• You'd rather avoid leather on your headphones: acoustic foam pads deliver the same LCD-X sound without any leather at all
• You listen in a quiet room at home: the open-back design produces real spaciousness in exchange for some sound leakage
• Low impedance genuinely matters to you: 20 ohms and 103dB/mW make this one of the easiest planar headphones to drive properly
• You want a more open, spacious presentation — the open-back LCD-X, for listening in a quiet room

How Does It Connect to Your System?

The cable connects at both earcups with 4-pin mini-XLR plugs that lock in place and can be replaced, a real advantage since the cable is usually the first thing to fail on a headphone this well built.

Audeze includes a cable terminating in 4-pin XLR plus adapters for standard headphone jacks, so the LCD-X works with balanced and regular amplifier outputs alike right out of the box.

Pairs Well With

What finishes the system around an LCD-X:

• Headphone amplifiers — a quiet, well-designed amp brings more grip in the bass and more space between performers
• Digital-to-analog converters — this driver's transparency reveals differences in source quality clearly
• Headphone cables — the replaceable mini-XLR connectors open the door to balanced or aftermarket options
• Headphone stands — a proper resting spot between mixing sessions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the leather-free pads sound different from leather ones?

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 at all.

Do I need a headphone amplifier?

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

How does the LCD-X 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, blocking outside noise and keeping your music in.

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, so it isn't suited to a shared space.

Can I replace the ear pads myself?

Not easily. The leather-free pads are glued in place on this version, so they aren't meant to be swapped at home — plan on a service visit if they ever need replacing.

Where is the LCD-X made?

Handcrafted in Audeze's Southern California workshop, the same facility that builds every headphone in the current LCD line.

See It in Action

Audeze presents Audeze LCD-X. Mind Blowing Details🤯.

The Headphone Show presents Audeze LCD-X 2021 Review - Taken to the next level.

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Learn More

Want to learn more about planar magnetic headphones, headphone amplifiers, or getting the most from an open-back design? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.