[johnzz4]

I just got the updated LCD-4s back with the 200ohm drivers.  I'm a fan of the new drivers.  The 100ohm were fatiguing for me in the 10-12k range - Tyll's comments about the treble described exactly what I heard with the 100ohm model (I know he was reviewing the 200ohm version).  I don't have the same criticism of the 200ohm drivers.  They sound excellent.  I expect the sound stage to open up a bit as they break in much like the LCD-X and the 100ohm LCD-4s did.

 

[HanyTheo]

Not sure if srs,the 200 ohm is just harsher n drier on the treble(not saying better extended) and the dip on 4-8k and transition to the rise on the 10k is just sounding more prominent on the 200 ohm. And the one tyll ill reviewed is exactly that 200 ohm. Really, if my store's demo set is the 200 ohm ones, i wouldve been happier with the lcd 3. And guys just a piece of advice and please just take it with a grain of salt, if u expect it to get alot better with break in and fancy cables, just dont... because it just wont. If u sent in ur 100 ohm for a driver update and didnt like the 200ohm, or demoed the 100 ohm but reveived the 200 ohm and didn't like it, email audeze a complaint. Theres already tons of complain regarding the 200 ohm set down here in indonesia/singapore.

 

[archeryc]

Not sure if srs,the 200 ohm is just harsher n drier on the treble(not saying better extended) and the dip on 4-8k and transition to the rise on the 10k is just sounding more prominent on the 200 ohm. And the one tyll ill reviewed is exactly that 200 ohm. Really, if my store's demo set is the 200 ohm ones, i wouldve been happier with the lcd 3. And guys just a piece of advice and please just take it with a grain of salt, if u expect it to get alot better with break in and fancy cables, just dont... because it just wont. If u sent in ur 100 ohm for a driver update and didnt like the 200ohm, or demoed the 100 ohm but reveived the 200 ohm and didn't like it, email audeze a complaint. Theres already tons of complain regarding the 200 ohm set down here in indonesia/singapore.

I think it's better for you to show photos of both of your 100 and 200ohm LCD4 and show us what DAC/amp u are using to drive them both.

For now im happy to stay with my 200ohm because it do sound better than the LCD3 i used to owed. But of course, if Audeze will be able to improve the driver i'm more than happy to send the LCD4 back and let them reinstall new driver in and replace the 200ohm version.

Regarding break in, all headphones i have been used can benefit from break in, no exception for LCD4. The change can be huge, or can be very small, depends on the design of headphone and planar magnetic headphones will benefit as same as dynamic headphones from my experience.

 

[HanyTheo]

I think it's better for you to show photos of both of your 100 and 200ohm LCD4 and show us what DAC/amp u are using to drive them both.

For now im happy to stay with my 200ohm because it do sound better than the LCD3 i used to owed. But of course, if Audeze will be able to improve the driver i'm more than happy to send the LCD4 back and let them reinstall new driver in and replace the 200ohm version.

Regarding break in, all headphones i have been used can benefit from break in, no exception for LCD4. The change can be huge, or can be very small, depends on the design of headphone and planar magnetic headphones will benefit as same as dynamic headphones from my experience.

the one on the left is the 100 ohm n 200 ohm on the right, i tried multiple setups on our frequent regional meet for both of em, amps from v281, wa5, mass kobo 394, even pigtailed em out of the speaker tap from leben and wa5, also tried em out using a 6watt@32ohm DIY discrete amp made by our local builder. DACs is usually tested using multibit gungnir, TT, also tried using a number of portable devices line out from hdpr10 to ak380cu and etc. I'm just showing my disappointment to audeze's 200ohm set so they can make us a better driver revision in the future. The number of ppl who preferred the older 100ohm vs the new 200ohm is just a LOT more including myself and even our local store manager

 

[archeryc]

I will shoot them an email just letting them know they should improve the driver by releasing a new driver. Its annoying tho to send back the headphone all the way to US and ship back to Australia...

 

[HanyTheo]

I will shoot them an email just letting them know they should improve the driver by releasing a new driver. Its annoying tho to send back the headphone all the way to US and ship back to Australia...

it is annoying indeed, or if ur local store has the 100ohm and if u prefer em vs the 200ohm after further critical audition. I think ur local store wouldnt mind changing it with ur 200ohm set. If the demo set is still in very pristine condition id say its pretty darn worth the trade

 

[Fifinder]

I don't believe their cables are anymore special than the $200-500 cables.

I'm thinking Norne or Moon. Would go Toxic but I hate waiting.

 
I have a Toxic Silver Poison 8ft Pure Cryo OCC Stranded Silver cable for Audeze, only about two months old, little used. I got it for my LCD-3 but I sold that 'phone recently. If interested, feel free to PM me.

 

[mulder01]

I will shoot them an email just letting them know they should improve the driver by releasing a new driver.

 
oh my, did I laugh...
 
I suppose they could always throw some abyss drivers in there for ya 

 

[HanyTheo]

oh my, did I laugh...

I suppose they could always throw some abyss drivers in there for ya :wink_face:

that's not the problem, the problem is that most retailers have the 100 ohm demo, and customers who liked n bought it, received the 200 ohm, which most of em didn't like as much as the 100ohm demo. I just find it unjustified.

 

[mulder01]

I have a couple of theories on the 100 ohm / 200 ohm situation.  
 
The 200 ohm version is essentially an LCD-4 B.  Audeze spent years developing a cost-no-object best of the best planar magnetic driver that no doubt involved dozens and dozens of different designs before they settled on one that sounded good enough to carry such a massive price tag and assume position as the company's new world-beating flagship.  They sold a few, they all started breaking and they thought "Oh crap, what can we do about this", so they went for the second best sounding but more reliable option and thought that hopefully the difference is small enough that people won't notice too much.  I mean, after so much R&D, how else could they possibly make a driver that was not only just as good sounding, but now also infinitely more reliable, and put it into production and start selling it in only a matter of weeks, when it took them years to come up with the design that always breaks...  The company had to do something to save face though.  They couldn't very well just refund everyone, pull it from the shelves and go back to the drawing board.
 
That's option A.  Pure speculation.
 
Option B is that the 200 ohm version sounds just fine and it's all in people's heads.  People hear what they're told to hear.  We can't help it.  We are all human and subject to expectation bias whether we like it or not.  The amount of people that say that they heard a dip or peak at x amount of khz because Tyll said that he heard a dip or peak at x amount of khz is suspiciously high to me.  If everyone who auditioned this headphone went in completely fresh and had no preconceived ideas of what they would hear, I think the number of people that made that same comment about dips and peaks would be much smaller.  Also, the least satisfied people are often the most vocal - especially when it comes to the internet, and if you could somehow do a poll of the number of people that were satisfied with their 200 ohm LCD-4 vs how many people want their 100 ohm versions back, it would likely paint the 200 ohm version in a different, more favorable light. I would also suspect that the number of dissatisfied people would be higher among those who do a lot of reading online...

Maybe a little of option A and a little of option B?

Anyway, now that everyone probably thinks I'm an ass, I'll see myself out.

 

[Revogamer]

We just swapped out the demo for a 200 Ohm version, so far it seems improved.. not the other way around! Much more air up top and defined, while still maintaining the natural mids and bass response - this is without burn in which is interesting! Have had quite a few people prefer it already, even from someone who tried the 100 Ohm prior, much preferring the 200 version!

 

[HanyTheo]

I received my 200ohm set before even that tyll guy made a review on it, im just trying to help out others who spent their huge bucks on the lcd4. Probably audeze could give a fairer solution. If they're satisfied with their 200ohm set, good for them. Unfortunately I'm not.

 

[archeryc]

I have a couple of theories on the 100 ohm / 200 ohm situation.  

The 200 ohm version is essentially an LCD-4 B.  Audeze spent years developing a cost-no-object best of the best planar magnetic driver that no doubt involved dozens and dozens of different designs before they settled on one that sounded good enough to carry such a massive price tag and assume position as the company's new world-beating flagship.  They sold a few, they all started breaking and they thought "Oh crap, what can we do about this", so they went for the second best sounding but more reliable option and thought that hopefully the difference is small enough that people won't notice too much.  I mean, after so much R&D, how else could they possibly make a driver that was not only just as good sounding, but now also infinitely more reliable, and put it into production and start selling it in only a matter of weeks, when it took them years to come up with the design that always breaks...  The company had to do something to save face though.  They couldn't very well just refund everyone, pull it from the shelves and go back to the drawing board.

That's option A.  Pure speculation.

Option B is that the 200 ohm version sounds just fine and it's all in people's heads.  People hear what they're told to hear.  We can't help it.  We are all human and subject to expectation bias whether we like it or not.  The amount of people that say that they heard a dip or peak at x amount of khz because Tyll said that he heard a dip or peak at x amount of khz is suspiciously high to me.  If everyone who auditioned this headphone went in completely fresh and had no preconceived ideas of what they would hear, I think the number of people that made that same comment about dips and peaks would be much smaller.  Also, the least satisfied people are often the most vocal - especially when it comes to the internet, and if you could somehow do a poll of the number of people that were satisfied with their 200 ohm LCD-4 vs how many people want their 100 ohm versions back, it would likely paint the 200 ohm version in a different, more favorable light. I would also suspect that the number of dissatisfied people would be higher among those who do a lot of reading online...


Maybe a little of option A and a little of option B?


Anyway, now that everyone probably thinks I'm an ass, I'll see myself out.

I actually kinda agree on some of yourpoint of views. So far i didn't hear any of my friends who using the 200ohm LCD4 has any complain yet. And actually only few people are complaining the 100ohm is better in HeadFi. I don't commend on this as i had not enough time to demo the 100ohm before. But 1 thing i can sure is i love the sound of my 200ohm LCD4 and it does a decent upgrade from my previous LCD3. Not sure how much better the 100ohm can do tho.

 

[HanyTheo]

I think it's fairer if audeze bring back their 'fragile' 100ohm driver back and let us have the option. (I hope mine doesnt break though)

 

[johnzz4]

The peak I heard in the treble on the 100ohm was long before Tylls review. He just described what I was already hearing on the 100ohm. The 200ohms treble is similar, but for some reason I don't find it fatiguing. I can listen longer and louder now. The soundstage is a bit compressed compare to the broken in 100ohm, but is about the same as I remember the 100ohm brand new. I also like the vent.. no more suction cup effect. Keep in mind that we're dealing with sample variation and different source equipment.