I snuck a DIY mic into an HE-1 demo... and used the data to EQ my LCD-X.
So, I finally got my 45 minutes with the Sennheiser HE-1 at Hifiklubben in Copenhagen yesterday. I’ll keep the subjective "audiophile poetry" short: it really is that good. The biggest surprise wasn't just the clarity, but the bass separation. The way the low end stays completely distinct from the mids and highs is something I haven’t heard anywhere else. It’s an amazing system that just makes you want to keep listening.
But I didn't just go there to listen.
I managed to "sneak in" a DIY in-ear microphone setup to take some on-head measurements. While I was at it, I also grabbed data for the LCD-5 and HD800s they had hooked up. My goal was to see if I could use that HE-1 baseline to "fix" my Audeze LCD-X (2021) and see how close I could get.
The Comparison & EQ (A technical heads-up)
I’ve spent the last 24 hours tweaking the filters. I’ve attached the REW shot below, but a very important disclaimer: these are raw, on-head, uncompensated measurements. This is exactly how the sound is hitting my ear canal. Because they are uncompensated, these results can only be used to directly compare headphones measured on the same head with the same mic. They aren't meant to be "industry standard" graphs, but as a relative comparison for EQing one to the other, they are incredibly useful for my specific anatomy.
- Blue line: The HE-1 (The target)
- Red line: My LCD-X with the new EQ profile
- White line: The stock, un-EQ'ed LCD-X
Look at how that red line tracks the HE-1 through the sub-bass and mids. I ran the filters through Crinacle’s hangout tool to double-check the simulation, and for my ears, it’s a revelation.
The "HE-1 Style" Filters for LCD-X (Pre-amp: -9 dB):
| Type | Frequency (Hz) | Gain (dB) | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Shelf (LSQ) | 40 | 2.0 | 0.71 |
| Low Shelf (LSQ) | 100 | 3.0 | 0.71 |
| Peak (PK) | 1500 | -2.0 | 3.5 |
| Peak (PK) | 2500 | -2.0 | 3.0 |
| Peak (PK) | 3000 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Peak (PK) | 3300 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Peak (PK) | 3600 | 7.0 | 2.0 |
| Peak (PK) | 5600 | -1.0 | 5.0 |
| High Shelf (HSQ) | 13000 | 2.5 | 0.71 |
The Result?
Honestly? It sounds very, very, very good. It captures that effortless clarity and separation that blew me away with the HE-1. Tonally, it’s closer to that €60k experience than I ever thought possible with a "normal" headphone.
The only problem? Now that it sounds this good, I don't want to take it off—and gods, do I wish the LCD-X was lighter. My neck is the only thing standing between me and "endgame" bliss right now.
A Few Bonus Measures
Because they were right there and hooked up, I couldn't resist grabbing measurements for the Audeze LCD-5 and Sennheiser HD800S as well. I’ve attached a second REW shot just for comparison. The mapping is: Green is the LCD-5 and Pink is the HD800S. (I won't detail how they sound—just wanted to share the raw data).
