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Audeze adds a closed-back version of one of its best pairs of headphones

Audeze adds a closed-back version of one of its best pairs of headphones

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Essentially, it’s the LCD2 Classic with a closed-back design

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Audeze has long been popular among audiophiles for its planar magnetic-style headphones, and its entry-level LCD-2 model is considered one of the high-end headphone company’s best pairs of cans.

But after almost 10 years on the market (and after an LCD2 Classic variant was released last year that swapped out some of the handmade wooden accents for a lower $799 price), the LCD-2 have only been available in an open-back style — at least, until now, with the release of the new LCD2 Closed-Back.

The LCD2 Closed-Back share most of their design cues with the cheaper LCD2 Classic, but with one crucial (and obvious) difference: unlike both the standard LCD-2 and LCD2 Classic, the Closed-Back version is, well, a closed-back headphone.

You’re still getting the same planar magnetic drivers. Unlike normal headphones, they use a thin, vibrating diagram that’s driven by magnetic fields to produce sound, instead of a traditional coil system. This has come to be expected from Audeze, which created the same warm sound that made the LCD-2 so popular in the first place. Now, you can enjoy it with better sound isolation, and perhaps more importantly, you won’t irritate all your co-workers or fellow commuters with your personal jams.

The LCD2 Closed-Back cost $899, or $100 more than the open-back LCD2 Classic. Compared to the only other closed-style headphones Audeze offers, the $1,799 LCD-XC, it’s easily the cheaper option if you’ve been wishing for a closed pair of Audeze headphones.