"the best of both worlds" Says Bass Gear Mag of LCD-2 CB

"We all love playing at gigs, or at least jamming with friends, but for many of us, that is not something we get to do as much as we’d like (especially as of late). Practicing on your own has its own merits, for sure, but more often than not, we don’t have the freedom to crank up our rig of choice and let ‘er rip at a satisfying volume. For some reason, “other people” – especially those who are trying to sleep/read/study in a shared living space – don’t find this to be consistently endearing. Thankfully, we have headphones to get us through these rough times."

"So, technically, the LCD-2 CB isn’t really “iconic” just yet, having been introduced in 2018. It is the closed-back version of the LCD-2 Classic, which itself harkens back to the original (and definitely iconic) LCD-2, introduced in 2008. The LCD-2 CB features large, 106mm planar magnetic drivers. If you are not familiar with planar magnetics, these types of drivers (or transducers) employ a flat diaphragm, rather than a cone-shaped driver (as found in “dynamic” drivers), and are affected by the magnetic fields produced on either (or both) side(s) of the diaphragm. In general, planar magnetic drivers exhibit excellent image clarity and tend to produce a more linear bass response – in theory, all the way down to the limits of human hearing. Conversely, dynamic drivers often demonstrate more “punch” or “slam.”"

"Make no bones about it, these are some substantial headphones, weighing in at 661g (about 1.46 lbs.). You most definitely notice this weight when you pick them up, but to their credit, they do not feel heavy once you place them on your head. The deep, comfy cups and vented pressure strap (both made of “protein leather”) deserve the credit, here. Despite their size and weight, I found the LCD-2 CB’s to be extremely comfortable to wear, even after several hours or more. I have a very large head and one concern I have when I try out new headphones (or glasses, or hats…) is that I will love them, but they won’t fit me comfortably. Fortunately, the LCD-2 CB’s offer a generous range of adjustment and I found an exceptionally comfortable fit – which wasn’t even the largest setting!"

"I will admit that with certain products I have tried, the distinction between the lower, midrange, and higher-priced offerings were not as readily apparent, and sometimes, you can feel like you are paying a premium for a particular brand name. With other products, different tiers of performance are evident as you move up in price. And of course, with some products and some brands, there is a bit of both paradigms going on. When it comes to headphones and in-ear monitors, increasing your budget can most definitely yield very apparent, real-world benefits. It is also true that within the various price ranges, different headphones/in-ears will exhibit different “personalities,” and personal subjective preferences will likely steer you towards one brand/product, over another."

"If your budget allows, I strongly encourage you to audition the Audeze LCD-2 CB’s. These wonderful headphones manage to combine traits from the best of both worlds (closed-back and open-back headphones) into one package, with no obvious compromise cost. These headphones are well-made, attractive, and supremely comfortable. They are equally at home in a recording studio, or as part of a home entertainment system, or as your go-to personal practice rig."