[Rico613]

. . . .  put the money toward r009 . . . . . 

 eeeewwwwww !

 

[SonicTrance]

  3 years warranty and free upgrade is good and all. Then what happens if all the shipping and repairs cost gets too much for Audeze and they bankruptcy. I mean it must dig a hole in even the biggest pockets to do all this upgrades on the 4 and repairs on the LCD3. Yes bankruptcy can happen to all companies, but with Audeze I think the necessity to use the warranty one day is much higher. I have never had to use the warranty on any other hifi gear in my more than 25 years in this hobby. Am on my second with Audeze now.

 

I am sure not one of those that want Audeze to go under and I love the tonality of my LCD 3F. If it wasn’t for the continuous report of driver problem also on the new LCD 4 I would have at least tried it. Seems like a perfect SQ match to me. Tonality of the LCD 3F and with better technicality.

 

Btw I shipped my broken LCD 3F to my dealer in December still haven’t got it back yet. 

You should have shipped them directly to Audeze. It was a two week turnaround for me with shipping both ways.

 

[bfreedma]

The drama level here is getting absurd.

It isn't unusual for early adopters to have issues. That's one of the reasons I'm waiting before considering a purchase of the LCD4s. It would be nice if that wasn't the case, but it is.

Anyone not prepared to deal with the risks of the LCD4 should avoid them for now and see if things stabilize. Some of the accusations being made are ridiculous as Audeze realizes no financial or reputational benefits by releasing headphones with known issues.

Noooooooo not you too bfreedma!!

LOL. Good one, though my comment wasn't referencing your posts.

My bad for attempting to be rational in the face of a few "Audeze is evil and killed my puppy" posts. I understand people's frustration, but anyone who has been a customer of Audeze or following the threads shouldn't be shocked by the problems some early adopters are seeing. Hopefully they get it sorted quickly. If they do, I'll purchase the LCD4. If not, I won't.....

 

[sensui123]

I don't need to speak badly about a company which I've enjoyed their products for sure.  I loved everything I bought from them, the LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-Xc, and the LCD-X.  Hell I even still have very high end cables for their headphones.  
 
I made the decision because 1)  I was stepping over to electrostat game because I feel the dynamic/ortho game has been thoroughly explored by me though owning various equipment in the last years and 2)  I myself had a LCD-3 failure which Audeze took care of (me paying shipping but no biggie) and while the repair was fine....I've been keeping a close eye on their history and the LCD-3 still hasn't conclusively found a  "fix" for these driver failures.  It doesn't help Audeze is dancing around/dodging the question but I can also understand from their point of view.....they are in for a PR s****storm if they publicly announce the wrong thing.  So for the LCD-4, the problem lies far beyond the early adopter bugs/jitters.
 
What this looks like to me though is Audeze either 1)  Doesn't know what the issue is exactly causing these failures or 2)  Knows but cannot find a definite fix as of the moment for the issue.  Either way, as others mentioned, I'd rather put my money exploring other options for the moment.  LCD-4 is still on the docket as my headphones is missing a gaping hole without Audeze's magical midrange and bass....I just need to make sure Audeze does their due diligence and solve the problem.  I've had other headphones/speakers for over 10 years without problems.  When they're built correctly with sound technology, they could last a lifetime usually if properly handled.  I'll be keeping a close eye on the thread as I am still very much in the market for the LCD-4.

 

[rgs9200m]

I've been an audeze fan for years owning all of their previous offerings..sold them all and ordered the lcd4.......think that was a premature decision, going to try to cancel and put the money toward sr009 if possible for now. I'm not convinced audeze can provide a finalized product at this time.

I don't  think it applies totally to you sensui since you have some experience here. But, in general, the SR009 is a very different listening experience vs. the LCD4. I feel a person's personal preferences would sway one from one to the other and be the deciding factor. I think is is not justified to say one is better than the other. If you haven't had exposure to both for a while, I think a choice based mainly on external, non-sonic factors, would be hasty, especially when you add the cost of a proper amp for each into the equation.
All I know is that for me, if I accidentally dropped my LCD4 out the window and some bird of prey carried them off, I'd order a new one tomorrow; they are that good.

 

[sensui123]

  I don't  think it applies totally to you sensui since you have some experience here. But, in general, the SR009 is a very different listening experience vs. the LCD4. I feel a person's personal preferences would sway one from one to the other and be the deciding factor. I think is is not justified to say one is better than the other. If you haven't had exposure to both for a while, I think a choice based mainly on external, non-sonic factors, would be hasty, especially when you add the cost of a proper amp for each into the equation.

 
Very different indeed, and that's what I want.  I've already been there and back with all the top headphones from Audeze, Hifiman, Sennheiser in the dynnamic/planar game.  I want something different.  Certainly a much larger investment (I picked up 2 electrostat amps at the top of the spectrum) than just buying the LCD-4 and using my current equipment.  I am pretty excited to try out the STAX since I wasn't impressed with the experience I had in Japan at a small demo room with lower end STAX.  Trying to jump straight in and seeing how I will enjoy electrostat.  Worse case scenario, I absolutely hate it and stick with my non-electrostat gear....none of the equipment on the high end is hard to sell and is @ a minimal loss especially with custom boutique amps.  As I mentioned, LCD-4 is definitely in my future as I need Audeze in my lineup....but I need them to sort this first.

 

[rgs9200m]

By the way sensui, that all makes sense, and it's off topic here, but I would start with an SR007 (current model -- *very good*, and it's debatable whether the 009 or 007 is the more musically satisfying) before getting into a more challenging 009 situation. (OK, enough Stax comments for me in this thread.) Let me just say that, in the high-priced arena, I feel the SR007 and the Grado PS1000e stand out as the great bargains of the headphone world these days. But still, the LCD4 is awesome.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Ahhhhh I want this headphone lol. I haven't heard it yet but recently been auditioning some of the other audezes and i can't help but think that this headphone could be the one. Buuuut it cost too much

 

[potkettleblack]

Ahhhhh I want this headphone lol. I haven't heard it yet but recently been auditioning some of the other audezes and i can't help but think that this headphone could be the one. Buuuut it cost too much

Cheers for the update - keep us posted.

 

[prismstorm]

LOL. Good one, though my comment wasn't referencing your posts.

My bad for attempting to be rational in the face of a few "Audeze is evil and killed my puppy" posts. I understand people's frustration, but anyone who has been a customer of Audeze or following the threads shouldn't be shocked by the problems some early adopters are seeing. Hopefully they get it sorted quickly. If they do, I'll purchase the LCD4. If not, I won't.....

   
Very different indeed, and that's what I want.  I've already been there and back with all the top headphones from Audeze, Hifiman, Sennheiser in the dynnamic/planar game.  I want something different.  Certainly a much larger investment (I picked up 2 electrostat amps at the top of the spectrum) than just buying the LCD-4 and using my current equipment.  I am pretty excited to try out the STAX since I wasn't impressed with the experience I had in Japan at a small demo room with lower end STAX.  Trying to jump straight in and seeing how I will enjoy electrostat.  Worse case scenario, I absolutely hate it and stick with my non-electrostat gear....none of the equipment on the high end is hard to sell and is @ a minimal loss especially with custom boutique amps.  As I mentioned, LCD-4 is definitely in my future as I need Audeze in my lineup....but I need them to sort this first.

Yes, same situation, they are in my sights too .... and yes they do need to sort this out first, but the question is: how do we know what exactly constitutes as 'sorted out'. Does it mean new film replacement completed for all models and very little driver failure? And how many months for the latter before it qualifies as a green light to go ahead and buy? 

 

[guguplex]

Hi ,
I am one of the early adopters of the Audeze LCD-4. I´ve been using the headphone during 2 months without any problem up to date. The sound is spectacular and I can assure that this cans changed in fact my way of enjoying music. Since I am an overseas user (about 10.000 kms long from Audeze facilities) and besides with no dealer in my country, I´m having some difficulties to sleep at night just to think about a driver failure possibility. Since my serial number is below 4142270 in theory I might send the LCD4 back to AUDEZE for a change ….. well ….I do not want to do this! To see the cans go back (overseas) to USA and expect a coming back to my country I don´t know when it is not an option.
So I wander if AUDEZE or someone else may explain us why or in what conditions a driver may have a failing possibility in order to take maximum care of the situation if it´s possible.   Of course we must avoid to let the cans fall down or to hit them , but what about the amps?? Someone told me once that a low powered amp might destroy a loudspeaker driver.  Does it apply also to planar magnetic technology??

 

[iBrian]

** This is just my opinion**

Alright, So I have been watching this thread go by with tons of people post there concerns about Audeze and there integrity of how bad there drivers are in the LCD series headphones. How people are on the verge of flipping out with something that really "just happens". It has turned out to be just like the X2 thread where everyone was freaking out about the glued earpads and the metal trimming on certain makes or batches. WOOX vs Gibson manufacturing.
Honestly I am not going to go into the mathematics of this issue because really Its a waste of time. The chances of getting a bad pair or bad driver is maybe 2% out of 1000 of them. But this is with any manufacturer. I understand the concern and the reason for the concerns, especially since they are $3995 however, Audeze has a great warranty setup for these headphones and if there is something going on with them. I'm sure that Audeze would contact those that have purchased them and let them know.
There is a thing called Consumer Law and every company has to abide by that Law in each country. I doubt there is some sort of recall going on with these. If there were, then Audeze would need to acknowledge it. If not then, well Schiit would hit the fan. Seriously.
They did the same thing with the Lcd 2's and 3's they updated the drivers and parts of the headphones everytime. If they didn't then why are there LCD 2 and LCD 2.2 and LCD 3 non fazored and fazored ones out there. I have had several pairs of Audeze headphones. I have not had a single issue with the ones that I have owned. I know that there are some out there that have had bad luck and I have been there too. Its just chance and plausibility really.
Last opinion, I would think that a company would not be ignorant to sell a pair of $1000 to $4000 headphone to have a certain fail rate attached to them. That would be Suicide for any company. Especially in a niche company like Audeze.
Honestly I almost feel that some have keyboard courage and some just try to pour gasoline on an issue just to see how hot it could burn. I could be completely wrong but I am just thinking out loud

Again, just my opinion and I am not accusing anyone

 

[potkettleblack]

 

[Torq]

** This is just my opinion**

Alright, So I have been watching this thread go by with tons of people post there concerns about Audeze and there integrity of how bad there drivers are in the LCD series headphones. How people are on the verge of flipping out with something that really "just happens". It has turned out to be just like the X2 thread where everyone was freaking out about the glued earpads and the metal trimming on certain makes or batches. WOOX vs Gibson manufacturing.
Honestly I am not going to go into the mathematics of this issue because really Its a waste of time. The chances of getting a bad pair or bad driver is maybe 2% out of 1000 of them. But this is with any manufacturer. I understand the concern and the reason for the concerns, especially since they are $3995 however, Audeze has a great warranty setup for these headphones and if there is something going on with them. I'm sure that Audeze would contact those that have purchased them and let them know.
There is a thing called Consumer Law and every company has to abide by that Law in each country. I doubt there is some sort of recall going on with these. If there were, then Audeze would need to acknowledge it. If not then, well Schiit would hit the fan. Seriously.
They did the same thing with the Lcd 2's and 3's they updated the drivers and parts of the headphones everytime. If they didn't then why are there LCD 2 and LCD 2.2 and LCD 3 non fazored and fazored ones out there. I have had several pairs of Audeze headphones. I have not had a single issue with the ones that I have owned. I know that there are some out there that have had bad luck and I have been there too. Its just chance and plausibility really.
Last opinion, I would think that a company would not be ignorant to sell a pair of $1000 to $4000 headphone to have a certain fail rate attached to them. That would be Suicide for any company. Especially in a niche company like Audeze.
Honestly I almost feel that some have keyboard courage and some just try to pour gasoline on an issue just to see how hot it could burn. I could be completely wrong but I am just thinking out loud

Again, just my opinion and I am not accusing anyone

 
I'm not so much bothered about needing a repair per se ... my LCD-2.2c have been going strong for almost 4 years and I have not had any issues there so far.
 
I AM concerned that such a repair, if needed, potentially yields a completely different headphone with significantly different impedance and sensitivity and new materials.  That presents a material change in how it is going to interact with my amplifiers (to the point where some of them may simply not be viable with the LCD-4), and the fact that it is "better" in some other regard doesn't mean I'm going to like the "new" sound as much as what I bought into.
 
This seems to be a VERY large change so early in the product cycle ... and at $4,000 I'd want something more thoroughly tested out.
 
As it happens, I've been waiting on the LCD-4 for weeks and got tired of having $4,000 of my money sitting in someone else's account and getting a different story every time the promised shipping time-frame passed.  That's the part that, fundamentally, caused me to cancel my order - the other issues just mean I won't re-order until Audeze are shipping these things in a reasonable time frame and haven't had another major change-up of the implementation in the mean time. 

 

[jibzilla]

   
I'm not so much bothered about needing a repair per se ... my LCD-2.2c have been going strong for almost 4 years and I have not had any issues there so far.
 
I AM concerned that such a repair, if needed, potentially yields a completely different headphone with significantly different impedance and sensitivity and new materials.  That presents a material change in how it is going to interact with my amplifiers (to the point where some of them may simply not be viable with the LCD-4), and the fact that it is "better" in some other regard doesn't mean I'm going to like the "new" sound as much as what I bought into.
 
This seems to be a VERY large change so early in the product cycle ... and at $4,000 I'd want something more thoroughly tested out.
 
As it happens, I've been waiting on the LCD-4 for weeks and got tired of having $4,000 of my money sitting in someone else's account and getting a different story every time the promised shipping time-frame passed.  That's the part that, fundamentally, caused me to cancel my order - the other issues just mean I won't re-order until Audeze are shipping these things in a reasonable time frame and haven't had another major change-up of the implementation in the mean time. 

 
I thought impedance mattered with planars but after someone told me it didn't I tried it out on my Lcd-X and Teton and the X sounded great. Teton has something like 100 ohm output and X is only 20 ohms so I think the Lcd-4 should be good to go on almost all amps as far as impedance is concerned. If anything it is a good thing that the impedance went up.