Hmmm,
I haven’t tested the Yaxi pads on the modded D2000 yet, because it has the rosewood cups on it.I wanted to do it once and forgot again.
They are really comfortable.
What I definitely remember is that the Ahg really didn’t fit with the Ebony.
And the Yaxi’s were exactly the opposite of Ahg’s.
So it could be that the pads work better on hard wood than on soft wood, which is conceivable.
If I had to make a spontaneous statement, I would say that the Lcd2c is better than the Ebony in terms of clarity in the mids and highs. The Ebony sounds somewhat less clear and rich in comparison.
On the other hand, the Ebony is clearly better than the Lcd2c in terms of bass, where it is the king.
Purely from the sound signature compared now.
Not to mention that they are two different drivers.
At least that’s my impression when I listen to them both, even in an A/B comparison.
But they are not worlds apart rather close where one has weaknesses here and there and is better here and there.
If I should really buy Lawton cups, I now know what I would like from the sound signature.
It probably shows again that pad swapping also affects the cups when they are changed.
Don’t get me wrong, they don’t sound awful…probably the 2nd or 3rd best option for me personally for my Lawton TH610. I just don’t think they sound better than the Lawton pads or ZMFs (all 3 absolutely require an attenuation ring for the bass though).
The Ori (both lambskin and hybrid) are actually pretty good even without attenuation rings imo. The Lawton pads are a bit too thin in the bass without them but the Oris are still a viable option for a less bassy sound without rings.
WOW - got some exciting news today from Mr. Lawton. My cups should be shipping in about two weeks. They still need 10-12 days more for curing and then the final buff and finish. However he teased me today with pictures of them.
Check the other thread you posted the question in. Do the “search” I showed and in that list there are I think some options for services.
I feel ya, I am not the best at soldering either - that’s why I just wimped and bought a new phone that had the detachable cables already.
I also have a Lawton modded D5000 - does not have detachable cables but when I saw how much it would be to get it done. I opted for fixed cables are just fine. I just take extra care with that one, making sure I don’t put undo stress on the wires etc.
Mind if I pick your brain for a moment? I’m preparing to take this mod journey myself and am currently fretting over which wood I want to move forward with. You’ve heard both type 4 and type 2 woods. Mark is recommending type 4 for some of my tastes but terms like “analytical” and “dry” are scaring me away from them, as I generally prefer more musical and full bodied timbres. Would you say the type 4s are a substantial move away from the kind of “rich” sound that the type 2s aim for, or do you think they still deliver pretty well on that front?
You seem very fond of the chechen wood and that’s on my short list, but I definitely don’t want anything that could be described as sterile, and 4s and 5s lean that way on the site description.
I would not describe my type 4 waterfall bubinga as dry. They sound like a refined and more bassy version of the stock purple heart cups. Still extremely fun to listen to but with the kind of technical performance you would want from a ~$1000 headphone.
Also if you do get a type 2 wood, I would recommend the flame maple. I haven’t seen the particular set for sale, but the other photos on the website look gorgeous.
@Thatoneguy335
The Harder woods are definitely in the dry and analytical category.
The Wild Chechen (type 4) I have was right on the border of what I like and with the recent change of DAC/AMP to the iFi iDSD Signature I love them the most. Really well balanced, punchy, involving, detailed and smooth. I found the slightly harder Wild Ziricote (type 5) which are 20grams heavier and denser (noticeably so) than the Wild Chechen too dry and sharp for me and no warmth. (Quite analytical) So if you go to the slightly lighter weight type 4’s and use a less analytical DAC/AMP you’ll like them. The Wild Chechen’s on the RME are still quite good but definitely more analytical but not close to the dryness of the type 5 Wild Ziricote. The most fun wood was the Black Limba type 1. Very light and lively and warm and full sounding, but not good for detailed bass instruments because low end decay/reverb is quite slow/long. Type 2 is probably fun too but none of my woods are type 2. Lawton has moved the Black Limba from type 2 to type 1 from memory (where it should be) So if you like a bit of both worlds I’d go for type 3 with either a dry/analytical DAC/AMP or warmer/fuller DAC/AMP if you lean that way. Certainly a lighter type 4 I wouldnt call analytical, particularly when paired with a warmer more powerful DAC/AMP.
What I’ve noticed most with the recent ifi DAC/AMP is just how much power these drivers can take and how clear they sound when powered properly. I can listen (barely for 5mins) at max volume on eco gain which is pumping ~1200mw per channel into them and they shake my skull and vibrate my earlobes without any distortion. (Verge of painful) The max input the driver can take is 1800mw. Anyway I digress… point being make sure you have decent power of 800mw per channel to drive them properly whatever you choose.
I love the type 4 because its fast tight and still full bodied. Especially with my new dac/amp. If I was going type 2 the iFi might be too warm. So you do have to consider matching. There is no way on earth I can listen to type 4 or type 5 with my DX220 sabre DAC. Too sharp. Hope that gives you something to consider.
Yep he’s moving the Black Limba to type 1 where they most definitely should be. Found the email.
“Re: Black Limba. I am moving this wood to the Type 1 category, where it really should belong, thought it’s kind of on the borer between 1 and 2.”
PS Analytical is probably not the right description for Type 4, I’d call it accurate and resolving without being sterile. Type 5 is sterile.
… If you can wait a couple more days, I’ll swap over to the Black Limba’s again tonight with my new iFi as I haven’t given them a decent run on the new amp yet.
The Bass in God is a Woman (Ariana Grande), Dancing With a Stranger (Sam Smith) and Magic (Kylie Minogue) …are… SUBLIME with the Black Limba’s and the iFi iDSD on normal gain @ 1 o’clock on the volume dial! This is how POP music should sound. MAGIC. :yum Loud in yer face and thumping.
That’s where type 1 or 2 woods truly rock! Type 4 Wild Chechen can’t compete with the kick, power and warmth of the Type 1 Black Limba where you just wanna feel da bass… and that’s without flicking the xBass or 3D switch on the Amp. Type 4 with the xBass come close to the Type 1 but still lacking a little warmth. They are still great though for rock or more complex music, or Jazz where you need a little more articulation in the bass.
