[mulder01]

Can anyone using their 200ohm LCD-4 with a Chord Dave comment on whether they think on balance the addition of a good headphone amp would bring a net gain in SQ, or would too much be lost in terms of transparency etc to make this a sensible upgrade? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 
Not sure if you follow the Abyss thread at all, but I think someone gave a very good answer to that here:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/666765/the-jps-labs-abyss-ab-1266-impressions-thread/4215#post_12646964
 
I mean, probably nothing will satisfy your curiosity like trying it for yourself, but I think your suspicions of the losses outweighing the gains might be correct.

 

[rgs9200m]

Can anyone using their 200ohm LCD-4 with a Chord Dave comment on whether they think on balance the addition of a good headphone amp would bring a net gain in SQ, or would too much be lost in terms of transparency etc to make this a sensible upgrade? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

I don't know about the Dave but I feel that a great amp does wonders for my TT and LCD4.

 

[STR-1]

Not sure if you follow the Abyss thread at all, but I think someone gave a very good answer to that here:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/666765/the-jps-labs-abyss-ab-1266-impressions-thread/4215#post_12646964

I mean, probably nothing will satisfy your curiosity like trying it for yourself, but I think your suspicions of the losses outweighing the gains might be correct.

I don't know about the Dave but I feel that a great amp does wonders for my TT and LCD4.

Thanks for your comments. I have yet to hear a headphone amp with the Dave, and I suspect if and when I do I will prefer the Dave on its own with my HE1000 and (for most music) the LCD-4. It's just that the LCD-4 is a little harder to drive and I do wonder if with some music that needs the volume turned up past -10 dB the Dave is driving the LCD-4 as well as it needs driving. You are of course right, I've got to try it out. I'll check to see what head amps my dealer can let me try out. Cheers

 

[rgs9200m]

Actually, I feel an amp also improves the TT with my HEK, since the HEK likes an amp to flesh things out and add some glow to the highs and bloom to the mids and highs.
Straight from the TT the HEK has, relative to my Audeze and Grados, some "jazziness" in the highs, which is not something I prefer and like to "cure".
 (And EQ is not for me, and this is a tonality thing, not a frequency aberration. I think too many times a tonality issue is mistakenly tackled with EQ; it's not a frequency response issue in these cases. EQ just covers up the offending area.)
Coloration? Sure. But I don't like the HEK with just wire-with-gain amplification.

 

[Dillan]

Was the LCD4 improved in 2016? In what ways if so?

 

[MacedonianHero]

Was the LCD4 improved in 2016? In what ways if so?

 
The only changes to the LCD-4 was from the initial 100 ohm version to the current 200 ohm version. I am writing an updated review with some comparison right now...hopefully should have it done soon.

 

[Dillan]

The only changes to the LCD-4 was from the initial 100 ohm version to the current 200 ohm version. I am writing an updated review with some comparison right now...hopefully should have it done soon.

Oh awesome I would def love to read that!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Oh awesome I would def love to read that!

 
Hope to have it done this week. 

 

[Dillan]

Hope to have it done this week. 

Which version did Tyll review on his YouTube channel? Was it the old version?

 

[YugiRider2]

Which version did Tyll review on his YouTube channel? Was it the old version?

He reviewed the 200 Ohm version I'm pretty sure.

 

[Eduardo C]

Hi guys, which would you say is an optimal amp for the lcd-4?

Price is not so important, to a point. Around 3K would be ok.

Also I prefer solid starte for reliability reasons as where I live it's impossible to replace tubes. If you MUST recommend a tubed amp, please do.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[Rico613]

Hi guys, which would you say is an optimal amp for the lcd-4?

Price is not so important, to a point. Around 3K would be ok.

Also I prefer solid starte for reliability reasons as where I live it's impossible to replace tubes. If you MUST recommend a tubed amp, please do.

Thanks for your comments.

I'd suggest you study-up on the Violectric V281.  ( Maybe leave some money in your budget for some good interconnect cables and power supply, etc. )

 

[goldendarko]

Liquid Gold or Studio Six are good Audeze pairings.

 

[johnzz4]

Was the LCD4 improved in 2016? In what ways if so?

 

There is A LOT of info in this thread about that... Here are highlights:

200 ohms (increased from 100 ohms)
Thinner traces and driver membrane
Slightly less midrange (more accurate)
Presumably better reliability
New material between pads and body that prevents air pressure on the driver

That's about it that I know of.

 

[rgs9200m]

I use a Rudistor RP010B (an older version; there is a newer one out now I have not heard). The results are just right for me, meaning stunning. DAC is a Hugo TT.
A great balance between fine resolution and non-fatiguing musical flow. (Some high quality cables help too. However I do use the stock Audeze headphone cable [balanced].)