[Thiry]

Thanks!

 

[potkettleblack]

I don't like the design of the leather suspension headband, the distance between this strap and the carbon fiber headband is too small. The carbon fiber headband pushes against the leather flexible headband. The weight is on this point instead of the whole leather suspension headband. Why not more distance between inner and outer headband? Why not more distance between the strap and the carbon fiber headband? Why not more distance between the leather suspension headband and the carbon fiber headband? Why not like all the other headphones with this system of straps, more distance, like the HE-1000 etc.

I would speak to Audeze about this. Many have said that they were due to change the design slightly so the hot spot wouldn't happen. If they don't reply or you can't get an answer on the phone - message them on here or on Facebook. Failing that comment underneath one of their Facebook posts and go full Whitney Houston on them. By that I don't mean take an overdose; just act like a diva.

 

[Thiry]

thanks!

 

[moopster]

  Actually if I'd choose a single word to describe LCD-4 performance that would be: REAL

This pretty much sums up my impression after three months of ownership. Its not hyperbole to say the experience is more like living, breathing music, alive and tactile, than just listening to headphones. 

 

[DoctaCosmos]

So after a couple of multiple genres of music. These LCD-4's, I have, are not up to par as to what I was meant to believe. I kinda feel that for the price the soundstage would not be so in your face. The sound stage seems boxed in and not as open. It's kinda weird coming from listening to the LCD-3's. Even my wife felt that the music was in your face putting her hand in her face. Instead of the normal soundstage she is listening to. which the soundstage is further out there,as she described with her arms open wide My EL-8 Ti and EL-8O's actually don't sound so in your face like the 4's. What ever they have the earpads connected to the ear cup is bothersome and I feel music is improperly leaking through. I almost feel as though Audeze made the filter on the front and back thicker As well like how the prefazored driver has think filters glued to them. This kinda what this feels like.

I hope I made sense this time with this port it took me 39 minutes to write it. Lol don't ask why it took that long. I may end up editing the whole thing. Gotta love sleeping pills

I don't like the fazored lcd3 as I feel the soundstage is smaller. I wish I could pay to have audeze put an lcd4 driver into my prefazor lcd3

 

[iBrian]

I don't like the fazored lcd3 as I feel the soundstage is smaller. I wish I could pay to have audeze put an lcd4 driver into my prefazor lcd3

I completely understand and do agree to a point but I believe if I am going to shell out $4 grand for a pair of headphones. They better perform at a $4 grand level. I feel like the ones that I have are shallow and just have in my face soundstage as if they are closed. These should not sound like that. I don't think burning in will help this either. The pads should not look like that either

Here is another shot of the pads and they have a big gap between and looking up closely it's like they put some sort of foam in between the ear pads and wood





I almost got excited when I saw this cause I thought they used velcro but that is definitely not the case

 

[theorist]

I have had my new LCD-4s now for eight days, which I originally ordered in November. They are the new version with 200 ohm drivers. I have a very good dealer here in NZ, and Terry lent me his old 100 ohm  demo LCD-4s for over two months and I would have put nearly 500 hours of listening on them. So I am in a good position to compare the sounds of the two versions.
 
 
After now 200 hours of continuous burn-in, in a word or two, not much difference. Obviously, voiced the same. Perhaps the new version is a touch more dynamic, a little more three-dimensional, but we are talking 'touch' here. Some female vocals are perhaps a 'hair' more recessed into the mix, again, a hair, but, then perhaps not. They certainly require about 15 minutes to a half hour of further turn on my Auralic Taurus II headphone amp, for a given volume, but my max volume is still only about at the 9:30 level (with 6:30 being off), so no big deal.
 
Overall, sound great and I consider it money well spent.
 
All listening was with the Audeze balanced blue cable. My source is an Antipode DX, through Tellurium Q Black Diamond and Silver USB cables to a Auralic Vega DAC and then Audio Zen Silver Reference XLRs to the headphone amp. Other headphones include HD-650, HD-800 and LCD-3Fs with balanced  high quality leads.
 
The leather strap in the headband is now a few mm clear on one side of the carbonfibre band, but not the other. I preferred it on the old version where it was flush!
 
As an aside, Terry's LCD-4s had an occasional drop-out/silence on the right phone, but a quick tweak up on the volume control always got it working again. He is sending it back for repair and upgrade.

 

[iBrian]

I have had my new LCD-4s now for eight days, which I originally ordered in November. They are the new version with 200 ohm drivers. I have a very good dealer here in NZ, and Terry lent me his old 100 ohm  demo LCD-4s for over two months and I would have put nearly 500 hours of listening on them. So I am in a good position to compare the sounds of the two versions.


After now 200 hours of continuous burn-in, in a word or two, not much difference. Obviously, voiced the same. Perhaps the new version is a touch more dynamic, a little more three-dimensional, but we are talking 'touch' here. Some female vocals are perhaps a 'hair' more recessed into the mix, again, a hair, but, then perhaps not. They certainly require about 15 minutes to a half hour of further turn on my Auralic Taurus II headphone amp, for a given volume, but my max volume is still only about at the 9:30 level (with 6:30 being off), so no big deal.

Overall, sound great and I consider it money well spent.

On your LCD-4 200 ohms what do your pads looks like connected to the wood? Anything like the pictures I posted above? Could you post photos of how yours look?

 

[potkettleblack]

As an aside, Terry's LCD-4s had an occasional drop-out/silence on the right phone, but a quick tweak up on the volume control always got it working again. He is sending it back for repair and upgrade.

They lose sound? So his pair have essentially failed.

Thanks for your impressions - I don't think anybody has managed to compare the two different models yet.

 

[iBrian]

I should say. I like Audeze and they are one of my favorite headphones. I own the LCD-3,XC,4, EL8-O, and the EL-8Ti each one has its own signature that I like about them and certain genres of music I use them with. I am just making sure that I received a good pair of 4's and not a quick build that was just put out to get them out quick.

 

[potkettleblack]

Until you actually submit data that substantiates a high failure rate, there is only one person in this conversation that has his or her head in the sand.

Hi mate just bumping your comment because it looks like there's another failure reported. Thought you'd want to know.

 

[iBrian]

They lose sound? So his pair have essentially failed.

Thanks for your impressions - I don't think anybody has managed to compare the two different models yet.

See that bothers me. It didn't before but now it does with a high end pair of cans that cost this much. I understand the plausibility of a fail rate like I have stated before but I would just expect to have a better percentage of a non fail rate. So far I just keep hearing more about others 4's failing than staying strong. I don't want to harp and be a Debbie downer either

 

[johnzz4]

  First I'll have to ask someone to help me with translating..., indeed, a very good idea to let Audeze know about this problem. The headphone is rather heavy and with a small change of the flexible leather headband, the problem will be solved. 

 
Just  call them.. they are getting revised headbands that are fixed.  The also have some instructions about how to shorten the existing band.  I did that in the meantime, but I don't expect a DIY fix to be the permanent solution at this price point.

 

[Audeze]

Planar magnetic transducers need very good seal around the ear for the best low frequency reproduction. LCD4 has incredible low frequency extension down to 5 HZ. (You can see the diaphragm flex if you put a 5 Hz signal). The Side effect of good seal is a suction effect when headphones are put on the head. Initial air pressure developed inside the ear pads pushes the diaphragm and can sometimes small mechanical noise if ear pads are squeezed very hard and very fast. What you see is not Velcro, but an acoustically resistive gasket between the ear pad and the transducer surface. Low frequency extension remains the same, suction effect is gone,  preventing extreme stress on diaphragm or mechanical noise. so what is the catch? A barely noticeable compromise on aesthetics. 

 

[johnzz4]

  Planar magnetic transducers need very good seal around the ear for the best low frequency reproduction. LCD4 has incredible low frequency extension down to 5 HZ. (You can see the diaphragm flex if you put a 5 Hz signal). The Side effect of good seal is a suction effect when headphones are put on the head. Initial air pressure developed inside the ear pads pushes the diaphragm and can sometimes small mechanical noise if ear pads are squeezed very hard and very fast. What you see is not Velcro, but an acoustically resistive gasket between the ear pad and the transducer surface. Low frequency extension remains the same, suction effect is gone,  preventing extreme stress on diaphragm or mechanical noise. so what is the catch? A barely noticeable compromise on aesthetics. 

Thanks for the explanation.  What is the ETA on the updates for version 1 owners?