Наушники — HiFiMAN LCD-5

The LCD-5 is an open-back planar magnetic over-ear headphone from Audeze, the American maker of planar headphones, and sits above the LCD-2, LCD-3 and LCD-4 in the LCD line that began with the LCD-2 in 2009. It weighs 420 g, about a third lighter than the earlier LCD-4. Audeze now lists the LCD-5 as a legacy product, with the newer LCD-5s taking its place, and it was last priced at USD 4,500. It was announced in September 2021 and is handcrafted in California.

Key specs that matter

A 90 mm planar magnetic transducer sits in each earcup. Frequency range is 5 Hz to 50 kHz, sensitivity is 90 dB per mW (drum reference point), and impedance is 14 ohms. Distortion is rated at under 0.1 percent at 100 dB, and maximum output is above 130 dB. Audeze specifies a minimum drive of 100 mW, a recommended level above 500 mW and maximum power handling of 5 W RMS. Being open-back, it leaks sound and isolates little from outside noise.

Engineering and use context

The diaphragm uses what Audeze calls Nano-Scale Parallel Uniforce voice coils, with parallel traces of varying width, a patent-pending design at launch, and the film is thinner than the one in the LCD-4. The magnet structure is a Fluxor array built with N50 neodymium magnets, and redesigned low-profile Fazor waveguides are shaped to reduce diffraction around the driver. The frame is a redesigned magnesium part chosen for rigidity at low mass, fitted with deep tortoise shell acetate rings, and it hangs from a carbon fibre suspension headband. The earpads are sculpted leather pads with an internal slope meant to cut resonances and reflections within the earcup. In the box is a 2.5 m braided lead with directional OCC copper conductors chosen for low capacitance and resistance and a 4-pin XLR balanced plug, and the box adds a 4-pin XLR to 6.35 mm adapter, a 6.35 to 3.5 mm adapter and an aluminium travel case.

Pairing

The very low impedance and the recommended drive level point to a separate headphone amplifier with solid current output, ideally one with a balanced 4-pin XLR socket to use the stock cable without adapters. A modest part of that power already reaches the level at which distortion is rated, so the higher recommendation is there for headroom on peaks. A phone or laptop output will not reach the drive level Audeze suggests.

Alternatives

Within the same range, the Audeze LCD-4 is the older open-back planar model with a heavier build.