[Shembot]

  Anyone can confirm if the Mojo can drive the LCD-4 'reasonably adequately well'? 

Mjolnir and Mjolnir 2 (I own both) have PLENTY of headroom with the LCD-4. On the Mjolnir 2, for example, I typically run around 12 o'clock on low-gain mode, with about an "hour" of deviation either way for songs that are mastered higher or lower. The sound is awesome with both.

 

[goldendarko]

ArthurPower, so just to summarize the LCD-4 requires more power than the LCD-3, but less than the HE1000?

Where is your volume knob is at on your amp with each headphone (like 11 o'clock, etc.).

I'm just trying to get an idea because I'm thinking about getting the LCD-4 and using it at the same time as the HE1000 on my Studio Six (with my wife or friends for example) and just wondering if I'd be able to drive them both to reasonable levels at the same time or if the volume levels would be too far apart.

 

[prismstorm]

Mjolnir and Mjolnir 2 (I own both) have PLENTY of headroom with the LCD-4. On the Mjolnir 2, for example, I typically run around 12 o'clock on low-gain mode, with about an "hour" of deviation either way for songs that are mastered higher or lower. The sound is awesome with both.

Lol I was actually referring to the chord mojo but it's good to know the 4 is awesome with mjolnir 2 as I'm looking at acquiring it down the road as well

 

[Shembot]

Oh, 

Lol I was actually referring to the chord mojo but it's good to know the 4 is awesome with mjolnir 2 as I'm looking at acquiring it down the road as well

Oh, haha, sorry! I'm so used to everyone calling the Mjolnir the "Mojo" and I hang around in the Schiit threads a lot, so...yeah. I've never used the Chord Mojo, so unfortunately I can't help there.

 

[jlbrach]

my HEK with my yiggy/rag combo sounds fabulous....I agree the HEK requires enough power to shine....I am listening to my LCD-3F right now with my Mojo and it has ample power to make them sound great but the HEK definitely needs more power

 

[Barra]

 

 
Keeping. 

 

Definitely keeping as well!!

Great to hear that guys! Could you please elaborate on the reasons? Have you compared them to HE-1K/SR009/Abyss? I am quite sure I will have to cross that bridge soon...

Having just heard them all back to back at RMAF, I can comfortably say that all these HPs fall into the exotic category and nobody but the fussiest would have any issue with any of them. However, they change drastically with power and quality source so opinions can be all over the place. Finally, they are all a little different in signature so it really comes down to signature preferences in the end plus the best pairing with your own gear.
 
That being said, cost no object, I preferred them in this order due to my preference to fun, front row details, meaty textures, euphoric signatures:

• LCD4/King
• Abyss/Woo
• HE-1K/Ygg/Rok
• 009/Woo (Wasn't a fan of the Blue Hawaii either)

 
Feel free to reverse the order if you are into mainly classical genre requiring front balcony perspective, thinner notes, bigger sound stage, brighter transparent detail, analytical SQ.
 
This is just how I heard it in less than optimal conditions, YMMV. In the past, I have spent the most time locally with the HE-1K followed by the Abyss. This was the first time hearing the 4 for about 30 minutes and only with the King contrasting with the 3 - so cannot comment on other pairings. I am very familiar with all flavors of the Audeze lineup from my 2.2 to the F to the 3 to the X/XC, and I can say that this is a significant step up. The 4's key upgrade for me is the new wider more 3D presentation making it hard to go back to a 2/3/x/xc after listening. The new euphoric 3D magic is almost spooky which makes the sound stage much more engaging - being there feeling. However, I don't know how much of that is the King. Unfortunately, due to time miscalculations, I missed my opportunity to hear the 4 with more down to earth and familiar gear. Dooouuooo! 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Update: LCD-4 vs HE1000

I found a few surprises I thought I would share. At first I was surprised just how similar both these headphones sounded (or could sound). I found the LCD-4 needed more power then previous models to open up and shine. Audeze did make it clear to me that the LCD-4 requires more power then the LCD-3 (to get the best out of them). Now the surprise was the change when using the HE1000 with less power. They became thin up top and muddy in the mids & bottom. These cans clearly require more power to sound good. Where as the LCD-4 benefits from more power if you want to get the best out of them. To clarify, you can still enjoy the LCD-4 with less power, where as the HE1000 becomes much less enjoyable. As in I do not want to listen to them unless I have an amp with a lot of power available to drive them. 

Even though the HE1000 is 35 ohm and the LCD-4 is 100 ohm the Audeze's are clearly more efficient. Those powerful magnets in the LCD-4 must be the reason for this. The HE1000 seems reminiscent of the HE6 needing some serous power to perform. I believe the HE1000 are still a lot more efficient then the HE6 was but, the LCD-4 is clearly much more efficient of the two. 

Both of my headphones are still braking in and I'm hearing some changes along the way. I will wait and see if I can confirm this conclusion next week when I have more burn-in time on each (I have both plugged in 24/7 playing music at a low to medium volume level). 

To those who don't believe in, brake in or burn in, I would like to say... THANK YOU! Why, you ask? Because I have saved a lot of money on gear that was only used for a few hours before you decided to sell it. I than scooped it up and ran it for 50+ hours only to find what it was really capable of. So again, thank you. If anyone else has any gear with only a few hours of use, please PM me so I can offer you a few bucks and get some more stuff at great prices!

 

 
Just a quick heads up...the impedance of a headphone does't really say much about how much power you need to drive them, but rather what the ideal setting of your output impedance of your amplifier should be with regards to damping factor. The key detail here is the rated efficiency, the LCD-4s come in at 100 dB/1mW and the HE1000s are indeed less efficient at 90 dB/1mW.
 
EDIT: Tyll has a great explanation of the impedance of a headphones here:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparison-beyerdynamic-dt-880-32-ohm-dt-880-250-ohm-and-dt-880-600-ohm-headphones

 

[NZtechfreak]

Just a quick heads up...the impedance of a headphone does't really say much about how much power you need to drive them, but rather what the ideal setting of your output impedance of your amplifier should be with regards to damping factor. The key detail here is the rated efficiency, the LCD-4s come in at 100 dB/1mW and the HE1000s are indeed less efficient at 90 dB/1mW.

EDIT: Tyll has a great explanation of the impedance of a headphones here:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparison-beyerdynamic-dt-880-32-ohm-dt-880-250-ohm-and-dt-880-600-ohm-headphones

Except that impedance matching isn't really relevant to planar magnetic headphones.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Except that impedance matching isn't really relevant to planar magnetic headphones.

 
Very good point...due to the consistent impedance vs. frequency of orthos...damping factor is pretty much null for the LCD-4s (or any other planar). Good point.

 

[prismstorm]

   
Very good point...due to the consistent impedance vs. frequency of orthos...damping factor is pretty much null for the LCD-4s (or any other planar). Good point.

So no need for careful matching and just plug and play to any amp for the 4? 

 

[NZtechfreak]

  So no need for careful matching and just plug and play to any amp for the 4? 

 
I don't think that is what either of us were saying, only that the output impedance of the amp is not likely to affect the sound as they are planar magnetic (so even if it were quite a high output impedance that should not cause wonky frequency responses here like it might with a dynamic driver). Careful amp matching is likely to be important here as it is for any high-end can, although at least amp output impedance should not be a big factor and power should be less an issue than with less sensitive planars.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  So no need for careful matching and just plug and play to any amp for the 4? 

 

   
I don't think that is what either of us were saying, only that the output impedance of the amp is not likely to affect the sound as they are planar magnetic (so even if it were quite a high output impedance that should not cause wonky frequency responses here like it might with a dynamic driver). Careful amp matching is likely to be important here as it is for any high-end can, although at least amp output impedance should not be a big factor and power should be less an issue than with less sensitive planars.

^ This.
 
But you'll need an amplifier that can supply a good amount of power as orthos really seem to open up with it. The idea is about your audio chain...and keeping an eye on your weakest link. Remember: Garbage In = Garbage Out. 

 

[prismstorm]

Yes sorry that was what I meant, that as long as there is enough power driving the 4, the output impedance of the amp itself does not matter much. As some iems must work with amps or Daps with low output impedance (<1ohms) or strange things will happen (treble / mid range drop off). 
 
I am looking to drive the 4 with Mojo / Mjolnir 2 in the future. 

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Yes sorry that was what I meant, that as long as there is enough power driving the 4, the output impedance of the amp itself does not matter much. As some iems must work with amps or Daps with low output impedance (<1ohms) or strange things will happen (treble / mid range drop off). 
 
I am looking to drive the 4 with Mojo / Mjolnir 2 in the future. 

Yes, you won't need to worry about impedance matching of say a 600 ohm Beyerdynamics T1 or a 32 ohm Grado. Planars aren't affected by damping factors.
 
Typically IEMs all have low impedances, so you'll need a DAP with a very low output impedance to match it. Not sure if the Mojo will have enough power for the LCD-4s, but the MJ 2 most certainly will. 

 

[NZtechfreak]

Well, pleasant surprise - I am going to be able to borrow an LCD-4 for at least a weekend very soon. To the person wondering about Mojo with LCD-4 - I will be able to give you an idea about that soon as I have the Mojo.