[Stillhart]

  Did anyone else see that Audeze is running an Indiegogo special for the new "THE KING" amplifier they were using at the show with the LCD-4's? The amp seemed great, but I'm a little thrown by a well established company like Audeze using IGG. I know others have done the same, like CEntrance, but just didn't expect to see Audeze taking this route. However, the discount is nice! 
 

 
So I was speaking with another manufacturer who is thinking about using IGG for their next launch.  Apparently IGG contacted THEM and sold them on the benefits of using their platform.  I found that pretty interesting and it makes me wonder a bit about IGG...

 

[groovyd]

Does the 30-day return policy extract a re-stocking fee?  I assume you must pay return shipping and probably are not refunded original shipping?  In the end saying I tried these out and returned them how much would I still be out?

 

[velvetx]

Velvetx, with regard to your statement about reading every positive review and buy a headphone, only a newbi will make that kind of a mistake. For those of us that have been around for awhile, we are either very rich or are broke by now. So we are very experienced and careful with our money. Because there is never enough to buy everything that we want in headfi.

I also owned the LCD rev 1 for couple of years and given Raven's point about bass slam above (he made a very good point about Audeze is loosing that house sound since LCD rev.1), And if you are comparing to that kind of bass slam, I can see how that could be possible. Even though I sold the LCD for wanting a more refine mid and treble, I still missed that bass to this day. I am thinking if the LCD 4 can have that kind of bass and retain the slush and warm but refined sound signature, I may come back to Audeze again. The driver failure rate of the LCD 3 is just too uncomfortable to own. I am also wondering if it is because of the ever pressure of finding thinner nano meters membrane that the bass slam is gone. Seems like these days everyone is taunting about how thin their membrane are. Seems like we are getting closer and close to the electrostatic sound but loosing the bass along the way.

Honestly I am glad you said this but you also know how people are when they see new and then they look at their wallet and say go for it. I know many people here may not be newbies when making purchasing decisions but if there are any and are just purchasing to say I have one and give it a great review that I have an issue with but you know what Audeze loves you.

I think the most important thing from this post is the mention of driver failure of the LCD-3 and it brings up a point that was touched by some of Tyll's of Inner Fidelity's Big Sound 2015 invitees. Headphone variance and how one headphone can sound one way and another headphone sound completely different (both Audeze and Hifiman have I have heard these types of things about). What would piss me off the most is listening to the LCD-4 at the show and going to a meet where someone has one and having a different sound then going to another meet and finding once again another sound. It's troubling and is totally unfair to us the listener and customer of these high end headphones.

 

[Middy]

You can remove the word headphone but not the people.Fanatic collector music lover, more money than sense. Some brands are dumbing down Ak junior some are up scaling. There are only two points of fact do I buy it, can we sell it. Beats audio or mega high end RMAF speaker sytems.Either matters not if you can sell or people won't buy.

 

[Devarika Woulf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedalhead /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Have you tried using a decent crossfeed implementation?

 
Yeah, Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural and TB Isone. Bauer always lowers the volume too much and isn't engaged enough. Isone can give a sound that really rivals speakers but in the end every setting does sound like an effect and not like a real speaker. You really can't win with these pretend programs things and the music must be mixed for headphone use in the studio to be perfect.

 

  velvetx, I can very well believe your remarks about lack of bass slam.  I've had considerable time with the entire Audeze lineup, and only the pre-fazor'd LCD2 had bass that had anywhere close to what one would call very impactful.  It had bass that rival'd my HE-400.  Since the widespread praise of the original rev1 LCD2, which was known for very impactful bass, Audeze has slowly moved away to a more neutral sound, and the bass (although very controlled and extended), was never very impactful to me.  I'm also of the opinion that a lot of Head-Fi merely parrots the impressions of old taken from LCD2 rev1, when it comes to the Audeze house sound being known for large and powerful bass-- even if they've heard many of the recent Audeze phones.  It's a confirmation bias if you will. So in that sense, if the LCD4 had a soft-ish bass, it wouldn't surprise me at all. 

 
That's what scares me about selling my LCD-2.2. Prior to owning it, I wasn't a basshead though I loved great heavy bass. Now I crave heavy bass from every song I listen to and my headphone must do great bass. Though I think the 2.2 has a bit too much bass and it affects the rest of the sound, it is addictive.

 

[raypin]

  Does the 30-day return policy extract a re-stocking fee?  I assume you must pay return shipping and probably are not refunded original shipping?  In the end saying I tried these out and returned them how much would I still be out?

 
mmm........it is clearly stipulated. The Audeze 30-day is a no-risk, no-penalty warranty with only the return shipping/freight (with tracking) as your only cost, should you desire to return any Audeze HP. Original shipping is for the account of Audeze ("free U.S. shipping including Hawaii and Alaska"). I think that's very generous of Audeze (matches Amazon.com return policy).

 

[LFC_SL]

No offense intended, but isn't that technically bad advice? How would the vast majority of people on this site hear a headphone before they buy it? The number of Head-Fiers who attend meets or have local opportunities otherwise are vastly outnumbered by those who don't, and the "guests" that read Head-Fi but don't have accounts. And I bet that the majority of people with the cash to spend $4K on a headphone would likely just throw the cash around first and ask questions later.

Surprised an experienced would give out this kind of advice. Demoing before buying would save so much money for many.

 

[potkettleblack]

I think there's a more important message in the $4,000 price tag, than questions of whether it sounds good and how it compares with previous iterations. To even contemplate the current cost of the SR009 as a "bargain" is insanity. Yet, this is the direction headphones are going in. I would not be surprised in the least if Audeze considered the price point of their LCD-4 in terms of what they can "get away with", rather than the costs of manufacturing. i won't be buying this headphone for the simple reason that I won't let myself be sucked into a marketplace that no longer respect their clientele. Consider for a moment, if Audeze is given free reign to charge outlandish prices for a product that is, in most respects, identical to previous iterations at 1/2 the price, than what is to keep other manufacturers from doing the same? Sure, I could afford it, but the market has already made suckers out of most of us (the HD650 is competitive with recent TOTL headphones at $300!). A line needs to be drawn.

Own and love the hd650, but it is by no means competitive with the hd800, he-6, he-1000, LCD 3, LCD x, sr009, sr007.
If you're talking about enjoyment; sure - but technically, it isn't even close (Imo)

 

[mwilson]

I think there's a more important message in the $4,000 price tag, than questions of whether it sounds good and how it compares with previous iterations. To even contemplate the current cost of the SR009 as a "bargain" is insanity. Yet, this is the direction headphones are going in. I would not be surprised in the least if Audeze considered the price point of their LCD-4 in terms of what they can "get away with", rather than the costs of manufacturing. i won't be buying this headphone for the simple reason that I won't let myself be sucked into a marketplace that no longer respect their clientele. Consider for a moment, if Audeze is given free reign to charge outlandish prices for a product that is, in most respects, identical to previous iterations at 1/2 the price, than what is to keep other manufacturers from doing the same? Sure, I could afford it, but the market has already made suckers out of most of us (the HD650 is competitive with recent TOTL headphones at $300!). A line needs to be drawn.

 
While I'm in no way privy to Audeze's costs of manufacturing or R&D, I'm very tempted to believe that indeed, they have set a price point they feel the market will bear, and not necessarily correlated with the aforementioned costs. However, they are hardly the ones doing so, and in all reality, isn't this what capitalism is all about? Supply and demand, prices freely set by the market? Anything that is high end is priced based on perceived image rather than value. For the latter we have Walmart. To the former, we have ingenuity, class, craftsmanship, finesse and exclusivity. Price a product too low, and risk being associated with the bargain bin. Price it too high, and risk sporting unsold inventory. We as buyers are the only ones in the position to decide whether their price point will hold. Where does Audeze think it fits, and where do we think they fit? 
 
I've not been around these parts of the interwebs in a couple of years, and now I remember the wretchedness, insecurities and fears oozing out of high end gear buyers. The more expensive something gets, the more acute the paranoia. No, I do not think that my stool is odorless.  I am just as guilty as the next one, but at least I approach pricing matters with an open mind (and wallet 

 )

 

[Hun7er]

Own and love the hd650, but it is by no means competitive with the hd800, he-6, he-1000, LCD 3, LCD x, sr009, sr007.
If you're talking about enjoyment; sure - but technically, it isn't even close (Imo)

Run the HD650 an very good amp and maybe you will change opinion. 

 

[kapanak]

While I'm in no way privy to Audeze's costs of manufacturing or R&D, I'm very tempted to believe that indeed, they have set a price point they feel the market will bear, and not necessarily correlated with the aforementioned costs. However, they are hardly the ones doing so, and in all reality, isn't this what capitalism is all about? Supply and demand, prices freely set by the market? Anything that is high end is priced based on perceived image rather than value. For the latter we have Walmart. To the former, we have ingenuity, class, craftsmanship, finesse and exclusivity. Price a product too low, and risk being associated with the bargain bin. Price it too high, and risk sporting unsold inventory. We as buyers are the only ones in the position to decide whether their price point will hold. Where does Audeze think it fits, and where do we think they fit? 

I've not been around these parts of the interwebs in a couple of years, and now I remember the wretchedness, insecurities and fears oozing out of high end gear buyers. The more expensive something gets, the more acute the paranoia. No, I do not think that my stool is odorless.  I am just as guilty as the next one, but at least I approach pricing matters with an open mind (and wallet   )

Perhaps you'll be interested to know how easily Audeze can drop the price on the new products by 30%, as long as you aren't asking for a refund, and pay them far ahead of time for a work in progress product.

A established company in the headphones world running a LH Labs scheme is one of the most heartbreaking moments of the Head-Fi this year.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-king-headphone-amp-by-bascom-king-for-audeze

 

[Stillhart]

Oooookay, I don't have enough tinfoil to protect me from this thread.  I'm out.  lol

 

[mwilson]

Perhaps you'll be interested to know how easily Audeze can drop the price on the new products by 30%, as long as you aren't asking for a refund, and pay them far ahead of time for a work in progress product.

A established company in the headphones world running a LH Labs scheme is one of the most heartbreaking moments of the Head-Fi this year.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-king-headphone-amp-by-bascom-king-for-audeze

 
I didn't order the amp. I ordered the LCD-4 (since I was familiar with their 2, 2.2 and 3 versions).
 
I usually stay away from crowdfunding efforts; once I didn't and almost got burned. At least it was for a $50 item.
 
I gotta read up on the scheme you mention.

 

[Chik0240]

   
 
Does that mean if i manage to find the money for an HD600 i will be in the ballpark, up over the 90% (audiophile actuality) mark? Or will the HD650 be the goods?

I do think anything above the HD600 will be around 90% mark or more, better just listen to multiple phones, at least the once hyped ones (Beyer DT880, AKG K701/2, HD600/650, Hifiman HE500 etc. Just to name a few) and try one or two higher end ones (HD800, Audeze LCD 3, HE1000 etc.) just to get a sense of how big the difference is, and your wallet will tell you what to get.

 

[mwilson]

To follow up on my post; I have no reason to believe Audeze is doing anything wrong with their crowdfunding. Sony did it too, and no one is accusing them for pulling a fast one. Also, wasn't a motion picture funded the same way? Veronica Mars if I recall correctly, from a few years back?
 
My post was simply about addressing their pricing, not their viability.