Audeze LCD-X and LCD-XC review

I've been seeing ads for these gorgeous headphones all over the web, and frequently on Head-Fi. Too good to be true, I thought. They won't look nearly as nice in person, or feel nearly as nice in the hand as in the ads, I thought. Then last month at Munich High End, I ran into Scott Byrer of Master & Dynamic at a social function. He had one of Master & Dynamic's MH40's around his neck. I asked him if I could see it, he handed it to me, and my first thought was that the headphone looked and felt every bit as good in the hand as it did in the ads. The leather was at least as soft and supple as it looked in the ads. The metal parts were as solid, and the knurling as sharp and defined, as it all looked in the ads. There was a satisfying heft. There are very fewheadphones I can say this about, but anywhere I touched the MH40 (excepting the cable), I was touching either metal or leather. It was loud there, so I didn't give the MH40 a listen right then, but arranged with Scott to try the MH30 and MH40 after we returned to the States. When it comes to construction and materials, both the Master & Dynamic MH30 and MH40 have a lot in common. Both have forged aluminum ear cup bodies. Yes, forged aluminum; no, this is most certainly not typical. Also, the aluminum on both the MH30 and MH40 is anodized or PVD (physical vapor deposition) coated, not painted. The other metal parts are stainless steel. All skin-touching hides are an ultra-soft grade of lambskin, and the outside is covered with heavy grain premium cowhide. There are screws, too--a lot of them--in lieu of glues. What's also amazing is what you see when you pull the ear pads off, each of which, by the way, is held on with three guide posts and very strong magnets. On almost every other headphone, pulling the ear pads off reveals roughly hewn bits and bobs, finished like they were never meant to be seen. On the MH30 and MH40, Master & Dynamic finishes what's underneath the ear pads to the same degree they do the rest of the headphone. The first time I saw this, I was reminded of a childhood memory of when my brother and I took apart our dad's old Omega wristwatch. We were both in awe of the fact that locked inside the hermetically sealed watch case, the watch movement's bridges and rotor were beautifully finished. We marveled at the care given to something so unlikely ever to be seen by the person who pays for it. Again, that’s the feeling I had when I lifted the Master & Dynamic ear pads from their mounts. The Master & Dynamic MH30 is Master & Dynamic's supra-aural (on-the-ear) headphone. Its round ear cups house 40mm neodymium drivers. The MH40 is their flagship, and is a circumaural (around-the-ear) design, with its oval-shaped ear cups containing 45mm neodymium drivers. Nominal impedance for both models is 32Ω. It's important to note that both headphones are closed, which the MH40's grille (there only for styling) might visually otherwise suggest. Unfortunately, I ran into a major problem with the MH30 right away. Even with its headband pulled to maximum size, the MH30 is too small for my large noggin. Pulled down very hard--the headband straining against the top of my head--I can get the ear cups over my ears, but they angle unnaturally in doing so. The MH30 uses shorter pieces on the MH30's headband (relative to the MH40). I'm not sure why Master & Dynamic didn't use, for example, the longer yoke pieces of the MH40. Perhaps it was in some way related to accommodating the MH30's folding mechanism--which, by the way, I never use, as the earpieces tend to bang and rub against each other when I fold the MH30. It's a shame, too, because the MH30 (from what I can tell when forcing it over my ears) may actually have a slight sound advantage over its larger sibling, its mid-treble seeming a bit livelier to me in comparison. The MH30 does fit on @joe's head, and he prefers it to the MH40. If your head is small to medium sized, I imagine the MH30 will fit you fine--anyone whose head approaches large, however, should approach the MH30 with some caution. If Master & Dynamic ever revises the MH30's headband to accommodate a wider range of head sizes (which I strongly suggest they do), I'll be first in line to order one. Thankfully, the MH40 makes it fully over my ears, and my average-sized ears ears fit comfortably inside the ear cups, but only just. Larger ears may touch the insides more, but I imagine all but the largest ears will find the ear pads of the MH40 comfortable. The coziness is helped by the softness of the foam padding, and the suppleness of the lambskin covering. Though the headband's padding is on the thinner side, there's enough cushioning there--combined with a radius that works very well atop my head--to make the headband very comfortable for me. In terms of clamping force, I also find it moderate and comfortable. Keep in mind, this is a headphone crafted of a lot of metal and leather, so it's not a featherweight at 360 grams (12.7 ounces). So, no, it won't feel as air-light on your head as (for example) a Sennheiser HD 598, but the MH40 wears its weight well, and I can wear it for hours without problem. The MH40's sound is on the richer side, with bass that's prominent and hard-hitting, but taut and controlled enough to keep it in audio enthusiast territory, and away from boomy. In other words, the bass has enough energy to inject some fun into the equation, yet enough detail around notes to keep its low end honest, and I find that almost ideal for on-the-go use. The MH40's midrange has some richness in its presence, and is moderately detailed, but I'd definitely characterize its midband as more creamy than precise. Where the MH40 loses a few points with me, in terms of sound, is in its treble presentation, giving up more airiness than I'd find ideal, but not to a degree that takes away my ability to thoroughly enjoy this headphone. In terms of imaging, the MH40 presents a cohesive image, but it definitely sounds like the closed-back headphone that it is. It also isolates quite well. Overall, I find the MH40 to sound very fun, very versatile, and, with it, I really enjoy listening to music of all genres. Both the MH30 and MH40 are driven easily by my iPhone 6 Plus, so they’re ideally suited for pairing with smartphones, tablets, and portable music players. Both come well equipped, each coming with a three-button mobile-friendly cable and a longer plain cable, a nicely matched 1/4" adapter, a cylindrical leather case for storage of small bits and pieces, and a nice carrying bag that includes an attached internal cable pouch and a strong magnetic closure. I can easily recommend the Master & Dynamic MH30 for someone with no larger than a medium-sized head whose looking for a phenomenally well-built, beautiful, on-ear headphone. The MH40 is the easier recommendation, though, with equivalently fantastic build quality and materials, but with more versatile fit, greater comfort, and what I consider an even more fetching design. The Master & Dynamic MH40, for all of these reasons, is currently one of my favorite on-the-go headphones, and a remarkable first effort from such a young company.   NOTE: Master & Dynamic also makes a gorgeous boom mic that matches both the MH30 and MH40 that solidly improves outgoing voice clarity. For more information about the Master & Dynamic Boom Mic, see the review of it in the Cables & Accessories section of this guide by clicking here. "[Regarding the MH30] I would recommend these to anyone that is worried about style, and needs a good headphone that can be cranked up." -acain Head-Fi Member/Reviewer "The MH40 combines great aesthetics, build quality, and sound quality into a headphone that is wonderful for portable daily use. If you're looking for a warmer pair of headphones with a rich, lush sound, then I'd happily recommend the MH40. It definitely won't disappoint." -thatonenoob Head-Fi Member/Reviewer