I have an HE5-LE finally on loan from a good friend of mine. The good thing is that it sounds less brighter and more balanced than the older HE-5 but the bad thing is well... I don't necessarily prefer it over my ol' trusty Grado HF2. I have an issue with how the sounds do not seem to mesh well together... it's very hard to put it in words. Anyone else feel the same? Anyway, going to spend some more time with it to further familiarize myself so impressions might change.

yup, same.

I listened to the NAD RP18 bass-light version today in a meet and in its stock form, it already sounded pretty bad-ass. Very musical, that ortho is.

^ yep, its one of the few which sound really decent stock.

I listened to the NAD RP18 bass-light version today in a meet and in its stock form, it already sounded pretty bad-ass. Very musical, that ortho is.

^ yep, its one of the few which sound really decent stock.

What?? There is basically nothing past 4-5 KHz on them stock.

In my experience with the RP18 and headphones in general, pads make a huge difference in frequency response. Pads that leak bass and are decently thick work well.

What?? There is basically nothing past 4-5 KHz on them stock.

In my experience with the RP18 and headphones in general, pads make a huge difference in frequency response. Pads that leak bass and are decently thick work well.

You two are both refferering to the NORMAL RP18 which is a dark bass monster

Ghurubhai and K3cT are reffering to a rare variant of the NAD RP18 (mylar NAD) that is bass light and has treble stock (ie Fostexish)

I'd have to hear it to believe it. The Fostex T50v1 I heard didn't have great treble extension and the bass was a bit flabby.

I'd have to hear it to believe it. The Fostex T50v1 I heard didn't have great treble extension and the bass was a bit flabby.

Well, ok it will probably be a bit like the v1 you heard. Even if you felt that wasnt extended enough for you, you have to admit its a whole different sound to the kapton NAD.

Yeah that's true, the treble was nonexistent with stock pads.

That is so bizarre two different versions of the RP-18

The treble really is non-existent on the RP-18 I owned. I played a bunch of recordings and entire instruments completely disappeared. How the hell NAD sold these abominations is beyond me.

Very interesting. The one I've heard is definitely no treble recessed. Well you can probably say that it's a bit dark-sounding since it doesn't seem to have an exaggerated treble.

The NAD RP18 sounds so good that I've contemplated canceling my LCD-2 preorder in exchange for it. What say you, ortho seniors?

The mylar version IME has a decent balance stock though it is still on the warmer side & the highs are indeed a bit rolled off ( nothing as bad as the kapton version you guys are describing though).

I have been using mine with SRX-3 & now W11 pads which give it a treble boost.

The bass is very good on these, no flab at all & extends very low.

They indeed sound good enough to me that I haven't been tempted to upgrade from these.

The NAD RP18 sounds so good that I've contemplated canceling my LCD-2 preorder in exchange for it. What say you, ortho seniors?

At the risk of being accused of being a fanboy, my opinion is that as nice as the vintage ortho is that you have, the LCD2 is in a different playing field. I have not heard your particular NAD but I have heard a few flavours of T50V1, the aiwa / akai / etc. My extremely biased opinion is that the wharfedale isodynamic is one of the top performing vintage lot but I could be content with a number of them as my only headpohone - the lowly HP50, my woodied YHD2. I have tuned my YHD2 to be on the edge but the woodied cups offer deep bass so it has both extremes ( ala marc appeasing highs as well as the bass without losing the yamaha mids - still , not everyone's cuppa and very positional). They all have the basics of what I look for in music playback and offer much enjoyment. The LCD2 just adds a depth of playing field that they do not.

If the NAD offers you everything you are looking for, then no harm cancelling your order. You can always buy the LCD2 at a later stage and even then, it may not suite your tastes..dB

The NAD RP18 sounds so good that I've contemplated canceling my LCD-2 preorder in exchange for it. What say you, ortho seniors?

K3cT, are you going to but THAT particular NAD? (I think I used to own the pair your reffering to). Anyway unless its that specific pair, I think youlll have a near impossible time finding another Mylar NAD again. Most of the pairs you will find will be the standard Kapton ones (super bassy).

Even if it IS the mylar one, the LCD2 IS superior. But how much it is worth it to you? That is only answerable if you hear a LCD2 and make that judgement.

A friend of mine has bought the LCD-2 & it should be here by next month. It would be interesting to compare the the mylar NAD (slightly modded) to LCD-2.

At the risk of being accused of being a fanboy, my opinion is that as nice as the vintage ortho is that you have, the LCD2 is in a different playing field. I have not heard your particular NAD but I have heard a few flavours of T50V1, the aiwa / akai / etc. My extremely biased opinion is that the wharfedale isodynamic is one of the top performing vintage lot but I could be content with a number of them as my only headpohone - the lowly HP50, my woodied YHD2. I have tuned my YHD2 to be on the edge but the woodied cups offer deep bass so it has both extremes ( ala marc appeasing highs as well as the bass without losing the yamaha mids - still , not everyone's cuppa and very positional). They all have the basics of what I look for in music playback and offer much enjoyment. The LCD2 just adds a depth of playing field that they do not.

If the NAD offers you everything you are looking for, then no harm cancelling your order. You can always buy the LCD2 at a later stage and even then, it may not suite your tastes..dB

I have to agree with Don here. I owned the RP-18 for a bit, and while it is nice I prefered my Chocolate Donuts, and over the Donuts I prefer the Thunder Pants, but I prefer the LCD-2 over all of them by a fair margin. The overall balance and level of detail is in another stratosphere.

Thanks for your inputs, swt61 and dBel84. I've read reports that this LCD-2 is on the dark side in the other site and that's creeping me out a bit as I can't possibly take it darker than the HF2 or the O2 for that matter.

I don't know who has called it dark, but IMO that couldn't be further from it's character.

I don't know who has called it dark, but IMO that couldn't be further from it's character.

same person that called the SR-007 dark probably

They might appear dark off some crappy amp or in comparison with the excessively forward HE-5 but it isn't true.

Yes it is.

Well I heard the OIIs driven by an ES-1, and they did not sound dark, but I had the Headamp SS electrostatic amp and OII on loan for several months a few years back, and the OII was what I'd term as slightly dark on that amp. Not HD650 dark, but not what I'd term as forward at all.

The LCD-2 is what I'd call somewhat forward in nature.

Yes it is.

No it isn't

Yes it's not.