[Sweetmeat]

Whoa. So you think the 3 > 4? For real?

I do not own LCD-4 and have never heard LCD-4. I do read the LCD-4 thread occasionally and brightness has been a big complaint by some of the guys. I am very sensitive to the 4-8 KHz region and this has never been a problem with the LCD-3. I'll be damned if I'm going to spend 4 grand on bright headphones, I've already got the LCD-XC for that. A lot of the guys on the LCD-4 thread are using EQ but my setup is straightline no EQ and that option just isn't available to me. I agree with Tyll Hertsens in that regard, if you're going to spend an astronomical sum on headphones they should sound right out of the box. Just my 2 cents I'm sure there's plenty of guys that like Utopias and 800s and LCD-4s right out of the box I'm not one.

 

[Hifi59]

I do not own LCD-4 and have never heard LCD-4. I do read the LCD-4 thread occasionally and brightness has been a big complaint by some of the guys. I am very sensitive to the 4-8 KHz region and this has never been a problem with the LCD-3. I'll be damned if I'm going to spend 4 grand on bright headphones, I've already got the LCD-XC for that. A lot of the guys on the LCD-4 thread are using EQ but my setup is straightline no EQ and that option just isn't available to me. I agree with Tyll Hertsens in that regard, if you're going to spend an astronomical sum on headphones they should sound right out of the box. Just my 2 cents I'm sure there's plenty of guys that like Utopias and 800s and LCD-4s right out of the box I'm not one.

I have both XC and lcd-4. The XC are brighter but not what I consider a bright headphone. I don’t like bright headphones at all (Beyerdynamic T-1, Fostex TH900). I love the lcd-4 just as they are and wouldn’t alter their out of box sound one bit. Perhaps it’s the amps that are driving them, cabling or just personal preferences. Not sure. I am using Wells Audio Headphone amp and I’d consider its sound as just a touch on the warm side of neutral in the best of ways. Ok, time to go back to lcd-3 talk.

 

[seamon]

In my opinion, LCD 3 is a legit dark headphone with a slightly uneven Treble. Great way to hide uneven treble is to make it dark lol. LCD 4 is a lot more smoother and balanced in the Treble compared to LCD 3. I would describe LCD 4 as neutral and LCD 3 as dark. LCD 4 is still darker than other TOTL headphones such as Utopia, Abyss, HD800S, etc.

 

[Sweetmeat]

While everyone has his own optimum level of headphone brightness, I think we can agree on this:

Brightest (LCD-XC > LCD-X > LCD-4 > LCD-3 > LCD-2) Darkest

 

[Boogee134]

While everyone has his own optimum level of headphone brightness, I think we can agree on this:

Brightest (LCD-XC > LCD-X > LCD-4 > LCD-3 > LCD-2) Darkest

Where would you place the HD800S in this ranking ?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

While everyone has his own optimum level of headphone brightness, I think we can agree on this:

Brightest (LCD-XC > LCD-X > LCD-4 > LCD-3 > LCD-2) Darkest

Having not heard the 4, I can agree with the ordering otherwise. If that placement is accurate, the 4 could be perfect for me.

 

[exsomnis]

Where would you place the HD800S in this ranking ?

So bright that it is nowhere near the brightness of the LCDs. Several places to the left of that. There are no LCDs that you can consider to be bright in comparison to HD800/HD800S and the like.

And I am in the camp that does not think that bright is a good thing, whether with headphones or with speakers. Live un-amplified music is never bright.

 

[Boogee134]

Thanks for the help guys.
I'll probably receive the LCD-3s at the beginning of April.

NOW. I have a Schiit Valhalla 2 that I use for my HD800S. I read that it's really not the best for LCD-3s. I wanna stay in the same price range, probably sell the Valhalla 2 if you guys tell me that it's not ideal for my new headphones and buy someone that will suite the LCD-3s really well. Tried searching on the internet but there's no consensus.
Asgard 2 ? Burson Soloist ? A simple Schiit stack (modi 2 + magni 3) ? Or is the Valhalla 2 okay ?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

The Questyle CMA400i + LCD3 combo is legit the best headphone setup I've ever heard with the possible exception of the Chord DAVE going into Focal Utopias.

 

[Boogee134]

The Questyle CMA400i + LCD3 combo is legit the best headphone setup I've ever heard with the possible exception of the Chord DAVE going into Focal Utopias.

Damn this looks good.
A little bit too expensive for me at the moment though
Looking for something under 500US$ that will be a great fit.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I'd say if you already have the Valhalla 2, just see how it sounds. There's no sense in buying more gear if you don't need to.

 

[EarDrumExplode]

I’m curious how you guys clean your 3’s. I wipe them with a 3m cloth and use no liquid chemicals not even water. I have a bottle of the audeze leather conditioner but was wondering how to get to some of the dust that collects inside

 

[seamon]

I’m curious how you guys clean your 3’s. I wipe them with a 3m cloth and use no liquid chemicals not even water. I have a bottle of the audeze leather conditioner but was wondering how to get to some of the dust that collects inside

Jodi Consumer, great at cleaning both IEMs and headphones

 

[Bigsecret]

I wonder if anyone happens to know the answer to this question: I purchased classic LCD-3 new in early 2014 then sent back for the fazor upgrade a few months later. Audeze made a point of saying "we will change the stators to add Fazors, but we will not change the diaphragm". Excuse my complete electronic ignorance but, did that change the impedance from the original 45 ohm to the newer 110 ohm?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I wonder if anyone happens to know the answer to this question: I purchased classic LCD-3 new in early 2014 then sent back for the fazor upgrade a few months later. Audeze made a point of saying "we will change the stators to add Fazors, but we will not change the diaphragm". Excuse my complete electronic ignorance but, did that change the impedance from the original 45 ohm to the newer 110 ohm?

No, it just means the fazor plate has been added. Since the internals are the same, there's not going to be a change in the electronics. So you shouldn't have to worry about any alterations in the setup.