[potkettleblack]

Oh no no, Jazz, that wasn't a preemptive tactic for the person about to answer, mate - that was aimed at the person asking the question, for no other reason than to prompt an indirect 'dig' at me. The same guy that is the first to jump on people for taking others threads off topic. Ironic.

You went both barrels with that reply though lol. My 800S arrives Monday morning. Will be nice to do a comparison (at home).

 

[draytonklammer]

I'm trying so hard not to buy into the whole cable discussion, but I swear the single ended that came with my LCD-4 sounds better than my LCD-3/LCD-X balanced.

 

[potkettleblack]

I'm trying so hard not to buy into the whole cable discussion, but I swear the single ended that came with my LCD-4 sounds better than my LCD-3/LCD-X balanced.

It's a very good quality cable. I actually really like the colour clash it causes - looks very trick in my eyes. How much of a difference it makes is another subject I think, so I won't help you open Pandora's box.

 

[JaZZ]

Oh no no, Jazz, that wasn't a preemptive tactic for the person about to answer, mate - that was aimed at the person asking the question, for no other reason than to prompt an indirect 'dig' at me. The same guy that is the first to jump on people for taking others threads off topic. Ironic.

You went both barrels with that reply though lol. My 800S arrives Monday morning. Will be nice to do a comparison (at home).

 
Sorry for my misinterpretation! 

I hope it hasn't bothered you too much.

 

[draytonklammer]

Only loving the LCD-4 more guys.
 
In the middle of trying to buy a blue balanced cable as I only have the blue SE cable right now.
 
I know my amp can output more watts per channel balanced which is why I am doing that.

 

[Torq]

A week ago I first got to hear the LCD-4.  That was under less than ideal circumstances and I posted my very high level impressions here.
 
Yesterday I got to listen to those same headphones on my own rig at home, after the dealer had spent the week breaking them in.  This was a much more suitable comparison, again involving my Abyss, HD800S and LCD-2.2c.  While I am going to take the weekend to listen more before posting detailed impressions and comparisons (and pictures), I'll say a few words now.
 
The initial comparison was done using Tidal via the digital out on a Sonos Connect into a McIntosh MHA100.  The rig I use at home currently uses Roon (TIDAL and local lossless files) to an Auralic Aries feeding an Yggdrasil via AES/EBU into a Ragnarok and then balanced out into the various headphones.
 
When I came away from my first listen the LCD-4 were clearly very good, but not so good that I'd have taken them over my existing LCD-2.2c even if I didn't already own the Abyss AB-1266.  As a result of listening yesterday and this morning I have decided to add them to my collection along side my Abyss and HD800S etc.  These things really do need to be broken in and fed with a suitably potent amplifier.
 
I would still say the Abyss has the better soundstage, still sounds faster and is a more visceral and "fun" listen.  However, the difference is mostly in terms of signature preference and there are areas that the LCD-4 is clearly better to my ears.  It's smoother, darker and more euphoric/seductive in its presentation.  While both headphones have a similar notch in their frequency response from 4 KHz 8 KHz, I find that more obvious in the LCD-4.  Bass is comparable unless you run the Abyss with no seal, in which case it is still clearly the headphone to beat in that area.
 
I'll have more details to follow, as well as having my new WA5 LE available to test with early next week, but at this point I think both sets of headphones have a valid and complimentary place in a high-end head-fi setup.  Both are good enough to listen to anything with and not have any real issues, so its more about mood and flavor.  Just to put the cat among the pigeons, with all that said, if you told me I could only have ONE headphone for the rest of time ... I'd likely take neither and go with the HD800S instead!

 

[up late]

So predictable.

huh?

Oh no no, Jazz, that wasn't a preemptive tactic for the person about to answer, mate - that was aimed at the person asking the question, for no other reason than to prompt an indirect 'dig' at me. The same guy that is the first to jump on people for taking others threads off topic. Ironic.

You went both barrels with that reply though lol. My 800S arrives Monday morning. Will be nice to do a comparison (at home).

*shakes head* i don't think it's taking the thread off-topic to ask mh to elaborate given that he's heard the lcd-4 and the abyss as i have. it's called comparing headphones and i believe that's allowed - even encouraged. both the abyss and he-1000 have already been referred to here in a comparative context. this is just headphone talk. it's not personal and it really isn't about you. please try to keep it that way.

ps i happen to like the abyss and have said so many times fwiw

 

[MacedonianHero]

huh?
*shakes head* i don't think it's taking the thread off-topic to ask mh to elaborate given that he's heard the lcd-4 and the abyss as i have. it's called comparing headphones and i believe that's allowed - even encouraged. both the abyss and he-1000 have already been referred to here in a comparative context. this is just headphone talk. it's not personal and it really isn't about you. please try to keep it that way.

ps i happen to like the abyss and have said so many times fwiw

 
I don't want to take the focus away from the LCD-4s which I am very much enjoying.
 
With regards to the LCD-4 (200 ohm), I'm still getting to know them better. I like what I hear (and I was very much a fan of the 100 ohm LCD-4) and I will be doing a full write up on them right after I finish my SINE review. 

 

[draytonklammer]

  A week ago I first got to hear the LCD-4.  That was under less than ideal circumstances and I posted my very high level impressions here.
 
Yesterday I got to listen to those same headphones on my own rig at home, after the dealer had spent the week breaking them in.  This was a much more suitable comparison, again involving my Abyss, HD800S and LCD-2.2c.  While I am going to take the weekend to listen more before posting detailed impressions and comparisons (and pictures), I'll say a few words now.
 
The initial comparison was done using Tidal via the digital out on a Sonos Connect into a McIntosh MHA100.  The rig I use at home currently uses Roon (TIDAL and local lossless files) to an Auralic Aries feeding an Yggdrasil via AES/EBU into a Ragnarok and then balanced out into the various headphones.
 
When I came away from my first listen the LCD-4 were clearly very good, but not so good that I'd have taken them over my existing LCD-2.2c even if I didn't already own the Abyss AB-1266.  As a result of listening yesterday and this morning I have decided to add them to my collection along side my Abyss and HD800S etc.  These things really do need to be broken in and fed with a suitably potent amplifier.
 
I would still say the Abyss has the better soundstage, still sounds faster and is a more visceral and "fun" listen.  However, the difference is mostly in terms of signature preference and there are areas that the LCD-4 is clearly better to my ears.  It's smoother, darker and more euphoric/seductive in its presentation.  While both headphones have a similar notch in their frequency response from 4 KHz 8 KHz, I find that more obvious in the LCD-4.  Bass is comparable unless you run the Abyss with no seal, in which case it is still clearly the headphone to beat in that area.
 
I'll have more details to follow, as well as having my new WA5 LE available to test with early next week, but at this point I think both sets of headphones have a valid and complimentary place in a high-end head-fi setup.  Both are good enough to listen to anything with and not have any real issues, so its more about mood and flavor.  Just to put the cat among the pigeons, with all that said, if you told me I could only have ONE headphone for the rest of time ... I'd likely take neither and go with the HD800S instead!

I felt that the LCD-4 was faster with my setup, had more soundstage depth and was more fun.

 

[up late]

fair enough mh. i was interested in your impressions is all and how the abyss and lcd-4 compared sound wise.

 

[MacedonianHero]

fair enough mh. i was interested in your impressions is all and how the abyss and lcd-4 compared sound wise.

 
I'm still trying to get to know the sound of the LCD-4s as I've been pretty busy at work but will try capture this in my review. PM sent. 

 

[draytonklammer]

It feels weird having an unpopular opinion (of liking the LCD4 over the Abyss)
 
I've found a ton of opinions liking the LCD-4 over the HE-1000 though, so at least I've got that going for me.

 

[potkettleblack]

I felt that the LCD-4 was faster with my setup, had more soundstage depth and was more fun.

wow ok. I'd be interested to know what setup made them sound faster than the Abyss.
A couple of days ago you said you were gonna have to get them used (the Abyss) and there was no way to audition both. Where did you manage to get a listen? Did you have to travel?

 

[MacedonianHero]

  It feels weird having an unpopular opinion (of liking the LCD4 over the Abyss)
 
I've found a ton of opinions liking the LCD-4 over the HE-1000 though, so at least I've got that going for me.

Certainly not an unpopular opinion at all. There is no one "headphone to rule them all". I own the HE1000s and hold them in very high regard as I do the LCD-4s.

 

[Torq]

I felt that the LCD-4 was faster with my setup, had more soundstage depth and was more fun.

Then you bought the right headphones for you!

I got no sense of depth or height to the soundstage with the LCD-4 so far (which really doesn't say a lot unless we're comparing the same music), and a narrower presentation than the Abyss.

With the cups on the Abyss angled forward, I get a modestly three dimensional soundstage that is much wider than the LCD-4 as well as having some depth. It's not quite in the HD800(S) class, but is otherwise the best imaging I've heard on a headphone.

I'm lucky enough to be able to own all three so I can apply/exploit them (and don't need to play favorites) and their strengths as my mood and the music I want to listen to at that point in time most benefits. The "fun" factor is definitely deeply personal and entirely subjective.

My main reason for posting was just to throw my experience in that the LCD-4 really need solid amplification and that they do change a lot with break-in. Enough to turn a "no buy" into a "buy even though I have their closest competitor already".