It is really hard to find good quality open-back headphones within budget. Thanks to Audeze for providing us the Audeze LCD-1 Headphones. Some sites already have declared Audeze LCD-1 Headphones as the budget king in the open-back headphones category. Probably you might have known about this headphone from some of those sites or maybe heard from any of your fellows. Now it is time to find is it really worth buying the Audeze LCD-1 Headphones or not. We request you to read this article till the end without skipping any part before making your buying decision. We have covered all the features including some negative sides of this headphone.
What Makes Audeze LCD-1 Headphones So Special?
Audeze LCD-1 Headphones is an open back headphone from the previous year. It was not very popular at that time. Because most people did not know what features make the Audeze LCD-1 Headphone special from others. It took time to find out for people about all the amazing features that Audeze LCD-1 Headphones offer. That is why suddenly this year the Audeze LCD-1 Headphones are being sold widely. Of course, it is one of the best budget options as you know a good quality open-back headphone will easily empty your pocket. That is not all, the most amazing feature of this headphone is the Planar Magnetic (PM) Technology. Audeze uses this technology in their high-end open-back headphones. Having this in a budget open-back headphones is really a jackpot. If you are listening about this technology right now then let us tell you a brief explanation about this. As you know any headphone uses a dynamic driver to generate sound waves. An electrical sound signal is sent through the coil of wire located inside those audio drivers. The pendant magnetic field keeps interacting with the permanent magnet’s static field which is mounted nearby. It creates vibration as a response by pulling & pushing the voice coil through oscillating. This voice coil is generally stays attached to a diaphragm that also vibrates at the same time & delivers sound waves to your ears. PM drivers also work this way but in PM technology the diaphragm directly embeds with the flat conductor that shakes backward & forward across the entire surface. A Planar Magnetic Driver also does not have a separate voice coil. The diaphragm & the voice coil stay as the same component. Thus it vibrates more uniformly & delivers better audio quality compared to most Dynamic Drivers.
Design & Built Quality
Honestly speaking, in the case of design the Audeze LCD-1 Headphone is nothing very special. It has a similar design compared to most other open-back headphones. As an open back headphone, the backs are open & the drivers are covered with a grille. One thing that we liked about the design of these open-back headphones is you can fold the ear cups. This feature makes your audio listening & mixing experience more fun & easy. Also for its foldable design, it really is a perfect choice for travel-friendly persons. It will take very small space to fit & you can take it wherever you want. You will also get a Travel Case with this headphone to make it your perfect travel companion. The 3.5mm audio jack that comes with this headphone is also detachable. The built quality of this headphone is also quite impressive considering the price tag. It is made with fine materials combined with premium plastic, metal & leather. It provides a nice feel on hand 7 does not weigh very much (0.55 lbs).
Comfort Level
While making the Audeze LCD-1 headphones review this section really has impressed us. As we mentioned earlier it is a very lightweight headphone & feels very comfortable on the hand. It also provides a very impressive & comfortable user experience. The ear cups of this headphone are made with fine leather along with soft & breathable ear cushions. As you can see the earcups are not exactly round. This shape is made to fit everyone’s ear easily as your ears are not exactly round. That is why in the comfortability section we can provide the Audeze LCD-1 Headphones a full score.
Audio Quality
You must be more excited to know this section eagerly right? Well, our team has tried its best to highlight the real audio experience that you will get from the Audeze LCD-1 Headphones. According to most of our team members, the Audeze LCD-1 Headphones deliver a balanced audio quality but in a good way. While looking for an open back headphone what do you expect from it, of course clean, authentic & natural audio experience, isn’t it? After fitting the Audeze LCD-1 Headphone on your head & the first music you will play sure will inform you that you are getting everything that you have expected from this open-back headphone. In fact, we have tested this headphone along with some other high-end open-back headphones like the Sennheiser HD 800 S. Surprisingly it performed really well. Though the Sennheiser HD 800 S is on another level as an open-back headphone, the Audeze LCD-1 Headphone is not very far behind. The audio is very clear, crisp & at all levels, you will get a clear & balanced audio experience. The Planer Magnetic open-back design of this headphone performed really well. Those 90mm Planar Magnetic drivers also have a wide dynamic range for delivering better sound without any distortion. As a budget open-back headphone, the bass production of this headphone will also surprise you. It has 20Hz Bass Response at lows & at highs, it can provide up to 40,000Hz Bass Response. That is why we can say that if anyone is claiming it as one of the best budget open back headphones then we must agree as well in terms of audio quality.
Our Verdict
Now it is time for the moment of truth. Whether we recommend the Audeze LCD-1 Headphone for you or not. Well, there is no reason we have found fro that we can forbid you from buying this. It has very lightweight & comfortable built, the audio quality is more than balanced, the bass reproduction is very impressive & all those features at an affordable price tag. You may also find some good options like this one when it comes to open-back headphones. But the Planar Magnetic Drivers of this headphone worth giving a try. If you like the design & look then of course we will recommend this headphone for regular uses. But if you are looking for professional-grade open-back headphones & have no budget issue then Audeze LCD-1 is the good gaming headphones for you, but not the best one.