The Audeze LCD-3 - High Performance Planar Magnetic Headphone With Ruggedized Travel Case are designed for personal Hi-Fi listening when connected to an external headphone amplifier or integrated amplifier. Instead of utilizing traditional dynamic cone drivers, the headphones implement a Neodymium magnetic planar transducer design to deliver a frequency response of 5 to 50,000 Hz with a THD of less than 1%, an impedance of 110Ω, an efficiency of 93 dB per 1 mW, and a total output SPL of over 130 dB when driven by 15 watts.

Magnetic planar technology differs from traditional dynamic cone designs by suspending a thin lightweight diaphragm within a parallel magnetic plane comprised of an array of magnets. The diaphragm is much lighter when compared to a traditional dynamic cone and has a printed circuit spread across a thin-film substrate on the surface of the diaphragm as opposed to a cone connected to a voice coil. When the audio signal from the amplifier reaches the circuit, it magnetizes the diaphragm within the field and produces sound.

The benefits of a magnetic planar design include faster transient response due to the lighter diaphragm, a wide frequency with low distortion, better heat dissipation, fewer moving parts for greater durability, without the kind of sonic degradation that cones are susceptible to, and better amplifier compatibility because the circuit functions as an almost entirely restive load.

The headphones also implement the company's patent-pending Fazor technology to guide and manage the flow of sound for better clarity, phasing, 3-D imaging, and frequency response. The magnetic structure creates a uniform magnetic field across the diaphragm, without the need for additional ferromagnetic material traditionally found in other planar headphones to remove magnetic interference, reduce harmonic distortion, and lower overall weight.

The headphone earcups are made of Zebrano wood with lambskin leatherette earpads. They come with a ruggedized travel case, a 1/4" to 4-pin mini-XLR cable, a 4-pin XLR to dual 4-pin mini - XLR cable, and a 1/4" to 1/8" stereo adapter. They are handcrafted in the USA and a personalized frequency response graph is available through support@audeze.com.