Community Insights: Audeze LCD-5 Review

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Audeze LCD-5 Review: “I Speedran So Fast to the Endgame I Broke the Sound Barrier”

My journey to the audio summit feels more like a speedrun. Starting off with a BTR5 and the Starfield, I ended up, not two years later, seeking a summit. I just wanted to skip all the middlemen and the trap of marginal improvement, and jump to the end. It took a while – I watched videos, read reviews, and here I am.

Maybe this should have been my first review, but instead, it ended up being one of the latest. Why? Because every single time I put on the LCD-5, it feels like the first time. The sound, the detail… well, spoiler alert: I love this headphone, and I could let go of all my other headphones and IEMs and just keep the LCD-5.

With that out of the way, let’s get into what I have here – a monster of detail, tonal accuracy, and (shockingly for some) a very comfortable headphone.

Detail and Clarity

Let’s start with detail. I could go on about how my favorite songs sounded “new,” but it’s true. With these, you hear everything—they set the benchmark. If it’s in the recording, you will hear it. I swear, you could even tell if a singer had a heavy dinner the night before recording.

Instrument separation is phenomenal. Every source is crystal-clear to the point you can pinpoint exactly where each sound is coming from. On a side note, you will get accused of using a wallhack when playing online FPS. These make you feel like Daredevil crossed with a bat. Blind-firing in smokescreens because you know exactly where the enemy is? Satisfaction. And so are the insults you’ll receive for such acoustic accuracy.

Having such high levels of clarity comes with one “disadvantage”—you need to feed it clean tracks, or you’ll hear every defect. I had to delete some albums and find better sources because they sounded “faulty” when listened to through this glorified acoustic microscope.

Soundstage and Frequency Response

The soundstage is just right—neither distant nor in-your-face. It all sits “properly,” exactly where it should. Frequency response, to my ears, is pitch-perfect. Some call it mid-forward, but I don’t feel that; vocals don’t overpower other sounds, bass notes are solid, and highs are at an ideal intensity and clarity. That said, it’s not a bass-centric headphone. For that, I’d recommend the Kennerton Heartland, which feels like an LCD-5 junior with added bass power while retaining almost all the clarity. (Seriously, try them if you want a bass-enhanced headphone that’s still highly resolving.)

In-Depth Listening Experience

Here’s a breakdown of some of my favorite tracks on the LCD-5:

• “Body Company (Club Hit)” – Close your eyes, and you’re in a club with this song blasting. Highs don’t shrill, bass is always in control, and the male voice is clear and defined.
• “PAPA Plastic” – The guitar intro is pure pleasure. The female vocal is so intimate, it whispers in your ear, and the bass is there in the background, grounding it all. Bliss.
• “Me Machine” – An electronic track, reproduced without a hitch. Bass and highs work side by side, never overlapping. A perfect exercise in high/low frequency interaction.
• “Come Fly with Me” – Frank Sinatra – It feels like Sinatra is on stage with the orchestra just behind him. This is as close as you’ll get to experiencing Sinatra live.
• “Isn’t She Lovely” – Chesky Records 35th Anniversary – Pair Chesky Records’ mastering expertise with the best resolving headphone, and you’ve got perfection. The positioning of all the musicians is so clear. Every detail and every instrument sound precisely tuned.
• Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 Op.125 Choral – Herbert von Karajan – It feels like being in a music hall. Short of resurrecting Karajan, this is as close as you’ll get to experiencing his concerts in person.

The Minor Flaws

There are a few minor issues. First, I have a first-edition model with a tight XLR connection that requires careful unplugging to avoid stressing the socket. This was fixed in later production models.

Second, the angle of the XLR connectors could be slightly more forward-facing; if I tilt my head too much, it touches my SCM muscle.

Lastly, the earpads are attached with adhesive tape rather than an easy-detach mechanism. This feels like a big oversight that could have been easily solved with a magnet or screw-in mechanism. Fortunately, I didn’t need to change the pads yet, but if you do, be prepared.

Final Rating and Setup Notes

If I was to give it a score, it would be a very close 10. My only gripes are the XLR plug and the pad attachment. Everything else is just perfect. I hope for an LCD-5 Mk2 with these small fixes.

PS: These headphones perform best when paired with something that has adequate power. They’re not inefficient like the Susvara, but I got an A70 Pro to be safe. I previously used a K9 Pro, and the improvement was minor but noticeable. For a DAC, I use the E70 Velvet because I love the AK4499 sound. They work well with my RS8 (high gain, no turbo) without pushing the volume, though they felt a little “choked” on my R6 Pro2, which has less power.

You can find the Audeze LCD 5 here.

Many thanks to our community-author Elvezio.