[Audeze]

 
I like the idea for the Cypher cable - use the iPhone simply for power and digital source, and use external AMP and DAC.
 
I do not like the special edition bundle-only option for this. Audeze should be ashamed, having already promised future updates and capabilities from their proprietary cabling on the EL-8. And now they're saying, sell your EL-8 and buy this special edition EL-8 to get the external DAC/AMP. I hope I'm reading that part of the review incorrectly

>>And now they're saying, sell your EL-8 and buy this special edition EL-8 
The Silver version comes bundled with the cable. The cable will also be available separately to owners of EL8 as we had promised. However, the chip supply is limited at the moment and we are trying to get a handle on the release dates. 

 

[deafanddumb]

The market will correct itself, if there's been a real injustice. I see the rising TOTL as a sign that disposable income is on the rise - more people not having to worry about jobs and putting food on the table, etc. To wish Audeze anything other than the best of luck would be wrong.

I agree...but why not bling a top headphone with exotic metals and other materials to give exclusivity at inflated price and profit margins but allow access for really devoted customers only interested in sound quality at a stripped down price....the rich people won't mind as they'll get the limited edition version we peasants can't afford....everybody happy ☺

 

[catspaw]

I think there's a more important message in the $4,000 price tag, than questions of whether it sounds good and how it compares with previous iterations. To even contemplate the current cost of the SR009 as a "bargain" is insanity. Yet, this is the direction headphones are going in. I would not be surprised in the least if Audeze considered the price point of their LCD-4 in terms of what they can "get away with", rather than the costs of manufacturing. i won't be buying this headphone for the simple reason that I won't let myself be sucked into a marketplace that no longer respect their clientele. Consider for a moment, if Audeze is given free reign to charge outlandish prices for a product that is, in most respects, identical to previous iterations at 1/2 the price, than what is to keep other manufacturers from doing the same? Sure, I could afford it, but the market has already made suckers out of most of us (the HD650 is competitive with recent TOTL headphones at $300!). A line needs to be drawn.

It draws itself.
That is what the free market does.
People might be very emotional rather than rational when listening to headphones, but most of us even if biased will realize that diminishing returns hit very hard in this hobby.
What I am saying is that Audeze may launch a 4k flagship and it may sell some units but there is a reason why they decided to only make them once ordered: They know the sale numbers are going to be low.
And lets not forget a very high number of people (like me) simply wont be able to afford this sort of item.
I have many times thought about the chance of buying a very expensive TOTL but everytime I do a reality check I realize i was going insane for a while.
 
If something can be made cheaper to sell more units, eventually someone will find a way to do it.

 

[Kevinspeed]

Anyone tried any cables other than stock on the LCD-4?

 

[potkettleblack]

UK LCD 4 price confirmed £3299

 

[pedalhead]

 

[potkettleblack]

 

Yes that's the face I pulled

 

[vaibhavp]

lcd 4 is marketing failure from audeze.
 
there is not enough hype surrounding it to justify exorbitant price tag. hifiman he1000 and senn hd800 did it much better.
 
unfortunately they did tried really hard with el8, a shame as it failed to meet sq expectations.

 

[potkettleblack]

I would pay that amount if they were on par with Stax and had the Audeze signature, but early reviews suggest otherwise.
 
 
Just as a reference for what we pay in the UK:
 
HD800 = £1099
LCD X = £1399
LCD 3 = £1599
HE-1000 = £2200
LCD 4 = £3299
STAX 009  = £3495

 

[Matias]

Why do people complain so much about LCD-4 prices when there have been Stax prices like this for years? Were they marketing failures, out of this world, etc? No. So why would LCD-4 be? If it is in the same performance level (reviews and impressions will confirm that), then why not?

 

[vaibhavp]

  Why do people complain so much about LCD-4 prices when there have been Stax prices like this for years? Were they marketing failures, out of this world, etc? No. So why would LCD-4 be? If it is in the same performance level (reviews and impressions will confirm that), then why not?

 
lcd 4 has caught people by surprise. and when they saw sticker price, they are in a shock. this is initial phase that will cool down with time.
 
compare this with hifiman he1000 approach. months of speculation and it undercut people's expectations. that was its success imo. 

 

[LFC_SL]

Why do people complain so much about LCD-4 prices when there have been Stax prices like this for years? Were they marketing failures, out of this world, etc? No. So why would LCD-4 be? If it is in the same performance level (reviews and impressions will confirm that), then why not?

Stax have built up 50-years of goodwil in the brand name. There is nothing wrong with a high price point if the sound is there and there is a market. The absence of humility in this product announcement is what has let down Audeze.

 

[Matias]

So following your logic, a company needs to be 50 years in business to be able to launch a product at that price point? And if Audeze thinks they reached that performance level and charge it accordingly, without the 50 year experience, they are being arrogant? This is nonsense.
 
Let the market evaluate the product and the sales will reflect if Audeze's achievement is true or not.

 

[Mach3]

[COLOR=FF0000]UK LCD 4 price confirmed £3299[/COLOR]

$6399 AUD

 

[potkettleblack]

$6399 AUD

Oh dear