[astrostar59]

I'd say it depends on the architecture of the amp. In amps that are designed with both SE and balanced circuitries, the balanced outputs tend to deliver a more robust, enhanced, and arguably noise-freer sound than the SE output. In amps that are designed this way, balanced XLR is the way to go. On my Violectric V281, for example, the difference between the balanced XLR and the SE connection is readily audible, and quite substantial.

On the other hand, there are some amps that are only designed with a single-ended circuitry, even though they may also have both SE and XLR balanced outputs. In such cases, both single-ended and XLR (balanced) connectors will sound the same, and there will be no real advantage in going balanced, unless you like the cosmetics of balanced connectors.

Indeed, I found this with my Aries Cerat Genus. It is a pure Single Ended SET amplifier. Sounds marvellous!

 

[Malcolm Riverside]

Broadly speaking, headphone amps with a balanced output offer more power which the LCD-4 definitely likes. Any amp with both outputs will offer more power in balanced mode and probably have a slightly different sound signature. The V281 is a great example of this as someone else mentioned. I just got a Cavalli Liquid Platinum and that had 4x the power from its balanced out. The se out is only there for convenience in fact. But my ZMF Pendant amp drives the LCD-4 with aplomb from its 8-ohm tap and it is a single-ended topology. So one type of design is not inherently better than the other in terms of sound quality or even power output. The Pass Labs HPA-1 is supposed to be one of the best solid state amps period and it is se-only.
As for headphone cables, I believe that any one that has terminations for left and right sided headphone connectors and a TRS se-termination to go to the amp can be converted from single-ended to balanced fairly simply with a solder, a 4-pin xlr adapter and some basic rewiring. Other users feel free to jump in and correct me if I’m wrong!
Also worth knowing is that you can use an adapter to go from 4-pin xlr terminated headphone cable to a single-ended amp output, but adapters that claim to take a balanced output into a single-ended cable should be avoided at all costs because they can damge your amp. So I guess if you have to have one cable make it 4-pin xlr and you can always get an adapter if needed.

 

[F208Frank]

As I got the LCD4 recently a small part of me feels paranoid that LCD5 will be coming out soon as Audeze flagship cycle from 2 to 3 to 4 has been roughly 4 years and LCD4 has been out for 4 years...it would be gut wrenching and painful to have just bought the 4 and then the 5 suddenly comes out.

How do you guys deal with this when you are in similiar situation? I generally prefer to buy new so I would take a smashing if I had to resell...it is not like I can not have headphones and just be waiting for the 5!

Thoughts?

 

[jlbrach]

I think you have to assume that new models will indeed come out, when is obviously the question...you simply cannot worry about it too much because tech is constantly moving forward

 

[Malcolm Riverside]

As I got the LCD4 recently a small part of me feels paranoid that LCD5 will be coming out soon as Audeze flagship cycle from 2 to 3 to 4 has been roughly 4 years and LCD4 has been out for 4 years...it would be gut wrenching and painful to have just bought the 4 and then the 5 suddenly comes out.

How do you guys deal with this when you are in similiar situation? I generally prefer to buy new so I would take a smashing if I had to resell...it is not like I can not have headphones and just be waiting for the 5!

Thoughts?

Take heart that the LCD-4 will still be an awesome, summit-fi headphone for years to come even if/when the LCD-5 comes out. There’s also no guarantee that the 5 would be a direct upgrade either. Audeze may change the sound signature appreciably or make it wireless or less compatible power or sound-wise with the other equipment you have. Also all signs from hp manufacturers these days point to an emphasis on lower-cost options like the 2C, Sundara, Aeons, etc. I bet the 2C, for example, makes Audeze much more money than the 4. So I’d Audeze will add more lower to mid-tier products or perhaps a top-teir closed-back (like Focal just did with the Stellia), before the 5 comes out. And look at the HD800–those came out ages ago and even now it’s rare to see a review of a top-tier open-backed headphone that doesn’t use them as a point of comparison. Great headphones stay great imo.

 

[F208Frank]

Take heart that the LCD-4 will still be an awesome, summit-fi headphone for years to come even if/when the LCD-5 comes out. There’s also no guarantee that the 5 would be a direct upgrade either. Audeze may change the sound signature appreciably or make it wireless or less compatible power or sound-wise with the other equipment you have. Also all signs from hp manufacturers these days point to an emphasis on lower-cost options like the 2C, Sundara, Aeons, etc. I bet the 2C, for example, makes Audeze much more money than the 4. So I’d Audeze will add more lower to mid-tier products or perhaps a top-teir closed-back (like Focal just did with the Stellia), before the 5 comes out. And look at the HD800–those came out ages ago and even now it’s rare to see a review of a top-tier open-backed headphone that doesn’t use them as a point of comparison. Great headphones stay great imo.

Fair statement. Respect.

 

[astrostar59]

Fair statement. Respect.

Agree as well. I also think if you can chill to the music, forget the gear, and believe in the illusion, why worry. That is where I am at now. I never got to that point with my Stax 009 or 007s. Also the HP is important, but driving it with the best DAC and amp you can afford / find is part of the destination. I find the LCD4 scales hugely, sounds like a different HP in fact....

 

[sahmen]

As I got the LCD4 recently a small part of me feels paranoid that LCD5 will be coming out soon as Audeze flagship cycle from 2 to 3 to 4 has been roughly 4 years and LCD4 has been out for 4 years...it would be gut wrenching and painful to have just bought the 4 and then the 5 suddenly comes out.

How do you guys deal with this when you are in similiar situation? I generally prefer to buy new so I would take a smashing if I had to resell...it is not like I can not have headphones and just be waiting for the 5!

Thoughts?

I think you should simply quit worrying about what Audeze might or might not bring out next, and simply concentrate on enjoying the LCD-4 you have in hand now, because if you do, you would realize it has a lot to offer... I think worrying about what could be is a rabbit hole of audiophilia nervosa that always has the potential of spoiling the fun of what is at hand... I shall take myself as an example, because I also got the LCD-4 recently and enjoy it immensely whenever I allow myself to settle down and enjoy it.

And I do enjoy it a lot too, when I switch off my thoughts about how other flagships I am curious about, but do not have, might sound like in comparison. There are already several such potential detractors in existence :, I dream, for example, about the Hifiman Susvara, or the Abyss Phi,on occasion. In a rather ironic way, you're fortunate, because you seem to be only anxious about a headphone that does not even exist as yet... I guess it is because you want to enjoy the feeling that you have the best Audeze flagship... Me personally, I sometimes dream about owning the best flagship, period, but that immediately widens the field of the competition to include already existing headphone models that I couldn't afford in three lifetimes, such as the Orpheus He-1 or the Shangri-la, or wouldn't have the courage to justify buying, even if I had such such prodigious budgets stashed away...

Under such circumstances, why allow obsessive thoughts and dreams about what I couldn't possibly have, or want to buy, spoil my enjoyment of the headphones I already have? In short, I have to come to terms with the fact that, although the LCD-4 will never represent perfection in summit-fi power-performances, it does bring a cornucopia of sonic felicities and a ton of audio delights to the table, which I could enjoy forever, as long as I am not obsessing about "the next best thing." Besides, I already know that the ideal of perfection in summit-fi power performance is most likely a chimerical invention, an unattainable abstraction, that any future LCD-5 can never reach, no matter how great it might sound... And for the record I already think the same about the He-1 and the Shangri-la too... If I had either one of these, it still can't stop me from wondering or even obsessing about what the next best thing might sound like, that is, as long as I am allowing my thoughts, dreams, and imagination to take me farther and farther down the rabbit hole of audio nervosas...

Short version? Nirvana can begin today with your LCD-4 if you will let it... Personally, I wouldn't let any thoughts or dreams about the ghost of a non-existent LCD-5, or any other model,
distract me from enjoying that nirvana, as long as I can help it...

With all that said, YMMV, of course.

 

[sahmen]

I think you have to assume that new models will indeed come out, when is obviously the question...you simply cannot worry about it too much because tech is constantly moving forward

Take heart that the LCD-4 will still be an awesome, summit-fi headphone for years to come even if/when the LCD-5 comes out. There’s also no guarantee that the 5 would be a direct upgrade either. Audeze may change the sound signature appreciably or make it wireless or less compatible power or sound-wise with the other equipment you have. Also all signs from hp manufacturers these days point to an emphasis on lower-cost options like the 2C, Sundara, Aeons, etc. I bet the 2C, for example, makes Audeze much more money than the 4. So I’d Audeze will add more lower to mid-tier products or perhaps a top-teir closed-back (like Focal just did with the Stellia), before the 5 comes out. And look at the HD800–those came out ages ago and even now it’s rare to see a review of a top-tier open-backed headphone that doesn’t use them as a point of comparison. Great headphones stay great imo.

Fair statement. Respect.

Agree as well. I also think if you can chill to the music, forget the gear, and believe in the illusion, why worry. That is where I am at now. I never got to that point with my Stax 009 or 007s. Also the HP is important, but driving it with the best DAC and amp you can afford / find is part of the destination. I find the LCD4 scales hugely, sounds like a different HP in fact....

Agreed! with all of the above.

 

[F208Frank]

^ "I guess it is because you want to enjoy the feeling that you have the best Audeze flagship"

(Not true, but I can see it being taken as that way)

I am more so stating when I buy a flagship, I hope to NOT upgrade for nearly a decade (all my gear currently on hand came from the days I was using HD600 with Schiit gear, I do one major upgrade around 7 to 10 years. It is still a little disheartening to buy a headphone and then a newer "better" version comes out right after. I understand your main point of to just enjoy the cans as they will be good regardless and I agree with that, I was just trying to get some extra angles of perspectives for people who buy flagships knowing that the next one is around the corner (every 4 years for Audeze)

At the end of the day though you are correct, just enjoy your cans and stop obsessing.

 

[Malcolm Riverside]

Fair statement. Respect.

I agree that swapping out downstream gear is a great way to periodically breathe new life into your headphones. Especially a product as great as the LCD-4 can really take on new qualities as you scale up, go from tubes to solid state amps, nos to delta-sigma dacs, etc, etc... But I sympathize with the upgrade-itis! After I got the LCD-4 I stopped thinking about new headphones for about 2 months before I found myself back on the forums browsing for deals (even if I’m not close to buying anything). There’s so many really good headphones that already exist which I desperately want to hear, that I can’t see getting hung up on something that’s not even been announced yet like the 5. But if you’re strictly about Audeze cans then I get it.
Question: What are your impressions of the Benchmark amp?! I’ve been dying to audition it. That or the Niimbus US4+ I’ve been really intrigued by.

 

[F208Frank]

I agree that swapping out downstream gear is a great way to periodically breathe new life into your headphones. Especially a product as great as the LCD-4 can really take on new qualities as you scale up, go from tubes to solid state amps, nos to delta-sigma dacs, etc, etc... But I sympathize with the upgrade-itis! After I got the LCD-4 I stopped thinking about new headphones for about 2 months before I found myself back on the forums browsing for deals (even if I’m not close to buying anything). There’s so many really good headphones that already exist which I desperately want to hear, that I can’t see getting hung up on something that’s not even been announced yet like the 5. But if you’re strictly about Audeze cans then I get it.
Question: What are your impressions of the Benchmark amp?! I’ve been dying to audition it. That or the Niimbus US4+ I’ve been really intrigued by.

I'm a big fan of the HPA4. It is a bit expensive but they won me over by first getting me to buy their DAC through praises off the forums. After buying the DAC and reading how they market (in a no nonsense way) I felt comfortable getting the HPA4 and call it a day.

(Big part of reason of me getting HPA4 was also because I wanted to make absolutely sure I did LCD4 justice)

The HPA4 feels very very premium and pairs well with many different headphones it seems. I was introduced to it at Can Jam NYC. I have mentally decided to stop looking around so much though and just enjoy the gear. I do not think I will upgrade anytime soon until my gear breaks down to justify the purchases I've made. I'm sure some of you are rolling your eyes at that unrealistic thought but for now that is my mindset, haha.

 

[commtrd]

As I got the LCD4 recently a small part of me feels paranoid that LCD5 will be coming out soon as Audeze flagship cycle from 2 to 3 to 4 has been roughly 4 years and LCD4 has been out for 4 years...it would be gut wrenching and painful to have just bought the 4 and then the 5 suddenly comes out.

How do you guys deal with this when you are in similiar situation? I generally prefer to buy new so I would take a smashing if I had to resell...it is not like I can not have headphones and just be waiting for the 5!

Thoughts?

I think I would be a LOT more concerned with fleshing out a proper chain of components upstream of the LCD4. Personally. Because: a classic headphone is ALWAYS going to be a classic headphone and will stand the test of time.
Don't worry about what MIGHT be, work on making the best of what you can put together feeding those headphones.

 

[llcook51]

Hi guys, do the owners of LCD4 or 4z here use balanced XLR or unbalanced single ended headphone cables connected to your amp? What exactly is the difference between unbalanced single ended vs balanced XLR when it specifically comes to headphone cables?

Thanks in advance!

I use balanced: more power and headroom.

 

[astrostar59]

I agree that swapping out downstream gear is a great way to periodically breathe new life into your headphones. Especially a product as great as the LCD-4 can really take on new qualities as you scale up, go from tubes to solid state amps, nos to delta-sigma dacs, etc, etc... But I sympathize with the upgrade-itis! After I got the LCD-4 I stopped thinking about new headphones for about 2 months before I found myself back on the forums browsing for deals (even if I’m not close to buying anything). There’s so many really good headphones that already exist which I desperately want to hear, that I can’t see getting hung up on something that’s not even been announced yet like the 5. But if you’re strictly about Audeze cans then I get it.
Question: What are your impressions of the Benchmark amp?! I’ve been dying to audition it. That or the Niimbus US4+ I’ve been really intrigued by.

I agree, but disagree worth this bit: the LCD-4 can really take on new qualities as you scale up, go from tubes to solid state amps, nos to delta-sigma dacs, etc, etc...

Should be: the LCD-4 can really take on new qualities as you scale up, go from solid state to tube amps, delta-sigma to NOS dacs, etc, etc...

Now that is correct to my ears....