Short answer: the Audeze LCD-XC. It ranks #16 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $1,299. The HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth ranks #30, rated 4.2/5, at $949, $350 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick the Audeze LCD-XC: A preference score of 89 and a 1.9 dB deviation show an overall balance that follows the Harman target closely with a neutral tilt. Watch for: Bass is clearly recessed, about 6 dB light in the sub-bass and about 2 dB light from 60 to 200 Hz, so kick drums and bass guitar lack weight.
What the HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth does well: Planar magnetic drivers deliver a preference score of 87 with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 1 dB above target and sub-bass only about 2 dB light, so low end has solid weight and extension. The catch: The treble is uneven, with an 8 dB dip near 9.4 kHz followed by a 7 dB peak near 11.9 kHz and air above 10 kHz about 5 dB over target.
Buy the Audeze LCD-XC. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $350 with the HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audeze LCD-XC | HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,299.00 | $949.00 |
| Ranked | #16 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #30 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 89 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 87 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.90 dB standard deviation | 2.10 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +0.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic | - |
| Impedance | 20 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW | 93 dB |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (677 g) | 1 lbs (458 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 8Hz - 65kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Audeze LCD-XC compares with other leading options:
- Dan Clark Audio Noire X vs Audeze LCD-XC
- Audeze LCD-XC vs Aune AR9000
- Dan Clark Audio Noire X vs HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth
- HEDD Audio D1 vs HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth
- HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth vs HIFIMAN HE6se V2
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-XC: $1,299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 89 and a 1.9 dB deviation show an overall balance that follows the Harman target closely with a neutral tilt. Upper mids are within half a dB of target, so voices sit naturally in the mix. The closed-back planar design isolates better than most high-end headphones and runs from a phone or laptop at 20 ohms and 100 dB/mW sensitivity.
Cons: Bass is clearly recessed, about 6 dB light in the sub-bass and about 2 dB light from 60 to 200 Hz, so kick drums and bass guitar lack weight. An 8.5 dB dip near 9.3 kHz and a 3 dB shortfall through the treble also soften cymbals and sibilance. At 677 g it is a heavy headphone, and it is rated below the HIFIMAN Arya Organic and Dan Clark Audio Noire X.
Full Audeze LCD-XC review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.90 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 | 89 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.11 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (677 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 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 | +7.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,601 Hz | -2.7 dB | 1.10 |
| Peak | 4,062 Hz | +4.4 dB | 3.88 |
| Peak | 60 Hz | -4.2 dB | 0.64 |
| Peak | 416 Hz | +1.8 dB | 3.05 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -7.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,737 Hz | -3.4 dB | 5.99 |
| Peak | 4,665 Hz | +0.6 dB | 5.98 |
| Peak | 10,000 Hz | +5.0 dB | 1.36 |
| Peak | 228 Hz | -0.3 dB | 3.02 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth: $949.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Planar magnetic drivers deliver a preference score of 87 with bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 1 dB above target and sub-bass only about 2 dB light, so low end has solid weight and extension. A 32 ohm impedance is easy to drive, although the 93 dB sensitivity still rewards a capable amp. Its rating matches the Sennheiser HD 800 S at a lower price.
Cons: The treble is uneven, with an 8 dB dip near 9.4 kHz followed by a 7 dB peak near 11.9 kHz and air above 10 kHz about 5 dB over target. That gives a sparkly, somewhat bright top end that can sound splashy or sibilant on certain recordings. At 458 g it is heavy for long sessions, and the open back leaks sound.
Full HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.10 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 65kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 87 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 93 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-4.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.04 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 1 lbs (458 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.3 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 | +5.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,887 Hz | +5.8 dB | 2.36 |
| Peak | 74 Hz | -2.9 dB | 0.36 |
| Peak | 2,903 Hz | -4.1 dB | 3.38 |
| Peak | 5,261 Hz | -2.4 dB | 4.29 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -5.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 994 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.91 |
| Peak | 646 Hz | +0.7 dB | 2.43 |
| Peak | 244 Hz | -0.4 dB | 1.71 |
| Peak | 135 Hz | +0.3 dB | 1.72 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons