Gird your aural loins and steel your reserve for a sonic delight the likes of which your mortal flesh has hitherto nair experienced awaits inside the leatherbound box expressed to you by winged federal chariot.
I'm grinning a big smile, because what Sorrick says, is 100% legit real.
My LCD i4 has arrived. The sound is fantastic, so natural and detailed. The bass is deep and textured and does not intrude upon the sweet sounding mids. Likewise the highs are resolving and clear without being bright. The soundstage large, detailed and holographic.
I'm having a harder time trying to phrase what kind of signature the LCD-i4 has.
My reference points being the Empire Ears Zeus and Zeus R. Owned the Zeus XIV for a month or two before I had it re-tuned for the Zeus R which I've been owning for a year now. So I'm quite accustomed to it delivery and abilities.
I sent my Zeus R back 20 days ago for another re-tuning, going back to the original Zeus XIV configuration as I feel I will appreciate it more from my Sony WM1A in balanced output. The Zeus is somewhat balanced. It's not neutral, it doesn't have a lean bass, it's still slightly lifted, it's a mid-forward sound sig with smooth treble. Back when I used the Sony ZX2 in 3.5mm TRS, I'd boost the treble a tiny bit. On the DP-X1, I'd leave it with no EQ. The Zeus R was different in that it was slightly less mid-forward, had an airier treble presentation, more balanced. With the Zeus R, I'd not need any treble boost with the ZX2. With the DP-X1 in BAL mode, I'd boost 50-250 a bit, as that dap was more cold coming from the ZX2. Now the Zeus R / WM1A pairing is great in single ended with stock spc cable, but with my pure silver Therium 4.4mm balanced cable, it gets a bit hot in the treble at times. That's why I wanted it to be re-tuned to XIV orig.
Now, back to the wonderful LCD-i4.
Using this tone sweep generator:
http://onlinetonegenerator.com/frequency-sweep-generator.html :
In Sine wave, linear sweep, I can start hearing/feeling the bass at 7Hz. With my Zeus it'd be starting at 13Hz. And I get the roll off starting after 14k (booo I'm too young to get old).
It is still the brightest and airiest earphone I've experienced. I mean it well too. I wish I could share how much I enjoy its rendering of the decay on the crash and ride cymbals. The rolls are so exquisitely detailed.
The bass has more impact and texture than the Zeus R. This is very enjoyable. It's not prominently boosted, which I appreciate.
The LCD-i4 is not mid-forward, but it's still gives a beautiful intimate voice. I think that because the sound stage is so big, it preserves the silkiness of the voices from the rest. So yeah, it's not mid-forward, yet everything is still there. Electric guitars+bass aren't thin, they have body.
It's definitely not a laid back, smoothed earphone. I wouldn't recommend it for those that are looking for relaxing. Believe me when you'll surprise yourself as you turn the volume dial up pushing your comfort zone. It gives for very intensive sound sessions. Think of a Hubble telescope strapped onto the back of Beethoven. Oh don't look at me like that, I don't mean the composer, but Beethoven the famous Saint-Bernard dog! The LCD-i4 is a retrieval paragon.
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@KMann @Audeze : I'll follow up on your PMs. I did further testing. To make sure it was just the cable connector and not the socket. It is indeed only the Left side connector that is causing this. Using the R on the Left LCD-i4 does slide out. Using the L cable on the Right LCD-i4 did also make it fall. I'll try to fetch a caliper but by my eyes, the Left 2pin connector black part is 1mm thinner than the Right side connector.
My Onso iect_03_bl4c: 4.4 5p -2pin(l/r) (for 4.4mm balanced output of my Sony WM1A) has been shipped out. I'm eager to try it with the LCD-i4.