Short answer: the Audeze LCD-2. It ranks #133 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $995. The Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire ranks #143, rated 3.3/5, at $899, $96 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Audeze LCD-2: A warm, bass friendly planar magnetic with a preference score of 70 in oratory1990’s measurement and a fairly even response, about 2.7 dB of deviation from target. The catch: A deep 12.5 dB dip near 9.3 kHz and treble running about 5 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz make cymbals, strings and vocal detail sound dark and veiled.
What the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire does well: Bass is well controlled, with sub-bass within 0.3 dB of target and a gentle 1.9 dB lift from 60 to 200 Hz that adds warmth. The catch: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz sits about 3.8 dB under target, and a 10.5 dB dip near 9.9 kHz dulls cymbals and sibilance.
Buy the Audeze LCD-2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $96 with the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audeze LCD-2 | Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $995.00 | $899.00 |
| Ranked | #133 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #143 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.68 dB standard deviation | 2.49 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.67 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.06 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 38 Hz (-6.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic | - |
| Impedance | 70 ohms | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 101 dB/mW | 92 dB/mW |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (595 g) | - |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Audeze LCD-2:
- Audeze LCD-2 vs Denon AH-D7200
- Audeze LCD-2 vs Focal Elear
- Audeze LCD-2 vs Audeze LCD-GX
- Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire vs Audeze LCD-GX
- Denon AH-D7200 vs Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Audeze LCD-2: $995.00 Audeze eBay
Pros: A warm, bass friendly planar magnetic with a preference score of 70 in oratory1990’s measurement and a fairly even response, about 2.7 dB of deviation from target. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz sits within 1.5 dB of target and the low mids are slightly full, so cellos, male vocals and bass guitar sound rich and weighty. At 70 ohms and 101 dB/mW it gets loud enough from most desktop sources without a high power amp.
Cons: A deep 12.5 dB dip near 9.3 kHz and treble running about 5 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz make cymbals, strings and vocal detail sound dark and veiled. Sub-bass falls 6 dB below target by 38 Hz, so the lowest synth notes lose rumble. At 595 g it is heavy, the open back leaks sound and blocks no outside noise, and the Fostex TH610 rates higher for less money.
Full Audeze LCD-2 review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.68 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 70 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 70 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 101 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 38 Hz (-6.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.67 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (595 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +3.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 284 Hz | -2.6 dB | 0.33 |
| Peak | 4,093 Hz | +5.8 dB | 3.34 |
| Peak | 8,387 Hz | +3.1 dB | 2.18 |
| Peak | 26 Hz | +1.3 dB | 1.70 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,076 Hz | +2.8 dB | 3.09 |
| Peak | 2,611 Hz | -1.2 dB | 3.53 |
| Peak | 959 Hz | -1.1 dB | 3.30 |
| Peak | 5,677 Hz | -1.4 dB | 6.00 |
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Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire: $899.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass is well controlled, with sub-bass within 0.3 dB of target and a gentle 1.9 dB lift from 60 to 200 Hz that adds warmth. The planar driver is a closed-back design that isolates from room noise. Mids from 200 Hz to 3 kHz stay within about 1 dB of target, so vocals stay natural.
Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz sits about 3.8 dB under target, and a 10.5 dB dip near 9.9 kHz dulls cymbals and sibilance. A 3.6 dB peak near 5.5 kHz can add some edge to vocals and brass. At 13 ohms and 92 dB per mW it is the hardest to drive in this group and benefits from a proper headphone amp, and the Focal Elear has the same rating. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.49 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 92 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.06 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 108 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.79 |
| Peak | 7,952 Hz | +3.8 dB | 1.01 |
| Peak | 3,620 Hz | +4.7 dB | 1.74 |
| Peak | 5,424 Hz | -7.1 dB | 2.66 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,189 Hz | -1.8 dB | 3.03 |
| Peak | 300 Hz | -1.1 dB | 1.30 |
| Peak | 183 Hz | +1.6 dB | 3.08 |
| Peak | 1,976 Hz | +1.4 dB | 2.98 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons