The Sendy Audio Egret is a recent entry in the sub-1000 USD planar magnetic category, while the Audeze LCD-2 Classic, often referred to as “LCD-2C”, is somewhat of a veteran, originally released in 2018. Both are priced around 800 USD.
They are both large and heavy headphones, certainly not designed to be taken to the gym. The LCD-2C is heavier, but they feel relatively equal when worn – both comfortable despite the size, helped by comfortable pads and excellent headband designs.
The Egret uses a 98 x 84 mm planar driver, and the open-back wooden cups are made of black American walnut. The Audeze LCD-2C housing is made of a composite material, even though it is inspired by the original wooden LCD-2 ref.1. It uses large drivers that are 106 mm in diameter.
SENDY EGRET SPECIFICATIONS
- Open-back full-size headphones.
- Driver: Planar Magnetic
- Driver dimensions: 98 x 84 mm.
- Frequency response: 20Hz to 40kHz.
- Sensitivity: 95dB (+/-3dB).
- Impedance: 24 Ohms
- Cable: Detachable silver-plated copper
- Cable connectors: dual 3.5mm
- Cable termination: 4.4mm – Adapters to 3.5 and 6.35 mm jacks included
- High density black American walnut housing
- Weight: 443 grams.
Current price and availability:
- AliExpress: Sendy Egret
AUDEZE LCD-2 CLASSIC SPECIFICATIONS
- Open-back full-size headphones.
- Driver: Planar Magnetic
- Driver size: 106 mm
- Impedance: 70 ohms
- Sensitivity: 101 dB/1mW
- Maximum power handling: 5W RMS
- Maximum SPL > 130dB
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 50kHz
- THD <0.1% @ 100dB
- Minimum power requirement >100mW
- Recommended power level>250mW
- Cable: 1.9 m (?) 4-pin XLR Cable with 4-pin XLR to 1/4″ TRS adapter cable and 1/4″ to 3.5mm adapter
- Weight: 544g
Current price and availability:
- Amazon: LCD-2 Classic
LISTENING COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
Vicarious by Tool
The soundstage is pretty similar. Both are intimate. The Egret has more midbass and a more energetic midrange, while the LCD-2C is darker.
Escape Route by Boris Blank
Again, the soundstage is similar. Both have high-quality bass but neither has high quantity. The Egret does have more midbass presence, however, which makes for a more energetic and warmer-sounding delivery. The treble is also crisper with the Egret.
It Could Be Sweet by Portishead
I like the midbass thump and the intense, warm, and upfront vocals of the Egret. The LCD-2C is, however, surprisingly similar but feels more laid back. Neither are sibilant, which many earphones can be on this track.
Spontaneous Compositorius by Thomas Agergard
The Egret gives the saxophone a great presence – it’s warm and breathy yet still upfront and energetic. The bright percussion has weight and body; it’s crisp but not sharp or piercing. The bass is well balanced with that nice midbass energy that gives it some extra sense of dynamics.
The LCD-2C also sounds very good but feels darker. The soundstage is pretty similar – both are intimate – but the sax is a bit less upfront. The bright percussion feels less weighty, less crisp.
Mahler’s Symphony No 2 III by Paavo Järvi
The LCD-2C feels neutral with a dark tint – it sounds refined and well balanced. Nothing feels like it stands out more than other parts.
The Egret has a different tonality – it sounds less neutral with more color. It also feels more energetic and crisper. Coming directly from the LCD-2C, I find the instrument timbres a bit odd, but my brain adjusts after a while.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
The Egret is upfront, crisp, and energetic. It also is a bit nasal, especially compared to the LCD-2C, which feels more correct and natural.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
Again, the LCD-2C has the better and more natural-sounding timbre. The Egret is better here than with the previous two string pieces, but there’s a nasal, slightly honky timbre I’m not a big fan of. When listening to it by itself, I am not bothered by it, but when comparing it directly to other, more neutral-sounding headphones, it becomes very apparent.
Never Enough by Loren Alred
This track often sounds dry and artificial on many headphones. The Egret sounds good, with nice body and energy, but if you play too loud, the vocals get very intense. Actually, listening volume is a bit crucial for how I perceive the Egret in general, if you like to play very loud, the LCD-2C is better.
The LCD-2C sounds more neutral, with darker vocals that still sound good.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The LCD-2C features a variation of the classic “Audeze house sound”, with a smooth, neutral-to-dark tuning.
The Egret is harder to categorize. Overall, it stays somewhat close to neutral but has more mid-bass energy and greater presence in the upper midrange than the LCD-2C. The treble is also more energetic, though not necessarily much brighter.
Treble
In terms of brightness they are quite similar, but the Egret gives bright elements more body and weight, resulting in a crisper presentation, while the LCD-2C’s treble sounds thinner.
Midrange
Overall, the LCD-2C sounds darker with midrange instruments and vocals. The Egret is consistently more energetic and upfront, with a more intense presentation. That said, the degree of difference varies greatly depending on the track.
Bass
Broadly speaking, they are fairly similar in bass quantity and both deliver good bass quality. The Egret has more mid-bass energy, which often gives it more thump depending on the track, while the LCD-2C is very linear sounding.
Soundstage and Imaging
The LCD-2C is known for having a quite moderately sized soundstage but with good imaging, albeit in a small “listening room.” The Egret is very similar. They both sound open but the music itself isn’t presented in a wide or tall area, so to speak – very similar to the classic Sennheiser HD6**-series.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
When it comes to detail retrieval, I find them to be pretty similar, but they present detail differently. The LCD-2C is generally more laid back and tends to feel a bit more refined, while the Egret often feels more articulate and energetic in the way it delivers detail.
Also, when it comes to dynamics, both macrodynamics and microdynamics are stronger with the Egret, which again sounds more energetic and articulate, while the LCD-2C is more laid back.
The timbre of the LCD-2C is generally a bit dark and dry, but in a smooth way. The Egret is more difficult to describe, maybe because it varies more from track to track. The bass is slightly richer, the midrange very energetic and sometimes straight-out intense, and the treble is crisp but not dry.
CONCLUSION
The LCD-2C and Sendy Egret have some similarities but also can sound very different. What is most similar is the intimate soundstage. If an expansive out-of-the-head experience is essential to you, these are not your first choices.
However, large soundstages have limitations in the sound signature because the soundstage is a trick – your brain interprets the sound in a specific way. These two headphones do not offer that, but they have other things.
The LCD-2C is smoothly tuned in a neutral-to-dark manner, with excellent bass and generally strong detail levels. The Egret has a more uneven frequency curve, which makes it somewhat hard to describe. Mostly it is more energetic and dynamic, with warmer midbass and more upfront, sometimes a bit intense, vocals. The treble is richer and has more energy without feeling much brighter or piercing.
I think the LCD-2C and Egret are on the same level but offer different playing styles. It is a matter of taste and also what you listen to. The LCD-2C is the most neutral and safest choice, but the Egret sounds more fun and, on most tracks, I personally find it more engaging.
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