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Audeze LCD-3
Product Features
- High-resolution planar drivers tuned for musicality
- 110-ohm impedance pairs well with tube and solid-state amplifiers
- Beautiful zebrawood rings handcrafted in U.S.A.
- Premium earpads and ventilated suspension headband
Sound that Makes You Feel
Find yourself emotionally connected to the music as LCD-3 wraps you in a rich, vibrant sound with real-world scale and authority. The natural timbre and deep soundstage reveal music in a very ambient way with exciting transparency and detail.
Sound that Makes You Feel
Find yourself emotionally connected to the music as LCD-3 wraps you in a rich, vibrant sound with real-world scale and authority. The natural timbre and deep soundstage reveal music in a very ambient way with exciting transparency and detail.
Advancing Planar Technology
LCD-3 features a unique 110-ohm planar driver design with a powerful stacked magnetic structure to create a pleasing high resolution sound. LCD-3 sounds best when paired with a high-quality headphone or integrated amplifier, either vacuum-tube or solid-state.
Advancing Planar Technology
LCD-3 features a unique 110-ohm planar driver design with a powerful stacked magnetic structure to create a pleasing high resolution sound. LCD-3 sounds best when paired with a high-quality headphone or integrated amplifier, either vacuum-tube or solid-state.
Built to our Highest Standard
LCD-3 is carefully handcrafted by skilled Audeze craftspeople, with luxurious zebrawood rings, precisely matched by grain and color, and subtle gold highlights for a timeless elegance. The soft, supple premium earpads cradle your head in plush comfort for hours of effortless listening.
Built to our Highest Standard
LCD-3 is carefully handcrafted by skilled Audeze craftspeople, with luxurious zebrawood rings, precisely matched by grain and color, and subtle gold highlights for a timeless elegance. The soft, supple premium earpads cradle your head in plush comfort for hours of effortless listening.
“No dynamic head phone at any price comes close to the LCD-3's sound.”
- CNET
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Professional Reviews 86/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
89/100
Comfort Fit
82/100
Build Quality
92/100
Features Usability
80/100
Value for Money
80/100
The LCD-3 delivers deep, controlled bass, lush vocal presence and a richly textured planar sound that invites long, immersive listening. Audiophilia admired its balance and transparency, while HomeTheaterHifi praised its body, dimensionality and accuracy. With natural timbre, layered imaging and exquisite wood-and-leather craftsmanship, it remains a compelling home-listening specialist.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Deep, tight and highly resolved bass delivers power without bloat, with clear differentiation between low notes.
Warm, full-bodied midrange gives vocals and acoustic instruments natural tone, texture and harmonic richness.
Premium zebrawood, leather and metal construction earns consistent praise for luxurious finish and solid build quality.
&
Cons
At 635g, the LCD-3 is heavy; some reviewers found the weight distribution and clamp tiring over time.
Treble can sound intense or uneven for sensitive listeners, with reports of glare and a glassy sheen.
Its open-back design and high-resolution drivers make it unsuitable for portable or shared spaces, and it benefits substantially from a quality amplifier and DAC.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 89/100
The LCD-3 is widely praised for its rich, warm and natural presentation, combining authoritative low end with full-bodied vocals and strong spatial layering. Its relaxed character is highly musical for long sessions, though several reviewers find the treble uneven or overly intense and question the precision of its imaging.
Bass
94/100
Reviewers repeatedly praise deep extension, clean note definition and substantial but controlled impact. HomeTheaterHifi heard exceptionally clean, differentiated low octaves, while AudioAdvice and MajorHifi describe powerful, tight and quick bass with a stable foundation rather than bloat.
Midrange
91/100
The midrange is a major strength, regularly described as warm, full, detailed and harmonically rich. Reviews highlight natural vocal body and excellent vocal tonality, although Joshua Valour notes that the treble can sometimes intrude on vocal smoothness.
Treble
82/100
Some reviewers enjoy the smooth, non-fatiguing upper range, with AudioAdvice finding good extension without harshness and MajorHifi hearing presence without aggression. However, metal571 and Joshua Valour both report pronounced treble issues, including a glassy sheen, glare and an intensity that can make the presentation harsh.
Resolution Detail
89/100
The LCD-3 is consistently considered highly revealing, with reviewers hearing abundant low-level detail, separation and convincing instrumental texture without a clinical character. There is some dissent at this price: PortaFi and Joshua Valour feel it does not offer the ultimate clarity or treble resolution of certain rivals.
Soundstage Imaging
87/100
Several reviews describe expansive, layered and three-dimensional space, with convincing depth and clear placement of instruments. The spatial presentation is not universally admired: metal571 finds images spread too unnaturally, while Joshua Valour calls the stage merely middle-of-the-road despite very good left-to-right imaging.
Dynamics
90/100
Reviews describe an effortless, energetic delivery with lifelike choral swings, strong punch and a quick, emotionally engaging response. One comparison to an earlier LCD-3 sample found this version notably less sluggish and no longer seriously lacking in slam.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Comfort Fit
82/100
The soft contoured pads and suspension headband receive substantial praise, with several reviewers finding the LCD-3 comfortable for extended listening despite its mass. At 635g it remains a very heavy headphone, and Joshua Valour in particular found its weight top-heavy and likely to bother many listeners.
Build Quality
92/100
Reviewers consistently admire the LCD-3's immaculate fit and finish, substantial construction, leatherwork and attractive wood cups. HomeTheaterHifi calls the zebra wood and lambskin presentation especially luxurious, while other reviews describe the assembly and adjustment mechanism as solid and well executed.
Features Usability
80/100
This is a straightforward open-back audiophile headphone rather than a portable all-in-one model. Reviews stress that it benefits greatly from a quality DAC and headphone amplifier; it can reach usable volume from a phone, but does not reveal its full capability there.
Value for Money
80/100
At roughly $1,945, reviewers agree that the LCD-3 is an expensive luxury purchase. Some regard it as an endgame-level headphone or a good used-market buy, but Joshua Valour considers it overpriced at its new price and feels competing performance should be stronger for around $2,000.
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Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Audeze LCD-3
- Resolution A/V — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- Absolute Audio - Canada — in-store — Calgary, Alberta, Canada (website)
- Acoustic Designs Inc. — in-store — Scottsdale, Arizona, United States (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Adorama — in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Ahead Stereo — in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
- Akustik Strauss — in-store — Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bayern, Germany (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
and 158 more verified dealers