Audeze LCD-4

[betula]

So no 2 lcd4’s sound the same?

How did you come to that conclusion?

 

[maggie17fan]

How much does that cost? Is the refurb free with driver installation?

If anyone’s interested, I’ll let you all know how it goes along with the cost etc. Will try to get it shipped off next week.

 

[KaiSc]

So no 2 lcd4’s sound the same?

Driver change in pairs is more about impedance matching.

 

[jonchard]

Could i have opinions on what we think of Abyss 1266 Phi TC versus LCD4? I already have Immanis and Abyss, and i'm looking for that final complementary final headphone, i cant deal with more than two.

Immanis is a window into music. Abyss to date has been a window into musical emotion. But Abyss drives me nuts with fitment issues and knife edge adjustments to get the bass to be tasteful or the fact that halfway through a song i realise im missing half the bass and need to adjust.

Those who have heard both, please comment and tell me what i would be giving away by selling Abyss, or what i might stand to gain from getting LCD4. Can the LCD4 compete with Abyss for bass on EQ? I previously owned LCD-4Z and many mentioned they were bass canons ... NOPE... NO thhey are not. Is this true of LCD4? Is it monumentally better in the bass department than LCD-4Z?

Your comments are appreciated.

 

[jlbrach]

the 1266 is IMHO head and shoulders better than the LCD-4...the 1266 is finicky in terms of setup and is cumbersome and while both HP's have outstanding bass the 1266 is dramatically more detailed and has a much larger and to me pleasing soundstage

 

[jonchard]

the 1266 is IMHO head and shoulders better than the LCD-4...the 1266 is finicky in terms of setup and is cumbersome and while both HP's have outstanding bass the 1266 is dramatically more detailed and has a much larger and to me pleasing soundstage

It does have a monumentally large soundstage LOL! But Imannis does get close, im not sure i want to base a choice on soundstage... and maybe something a touch more "close" would be a good thing. The 1266 i utterly love, i sold my Susvaras for it and never felt the need to look back ... airy fairy midrange has never really been my thing (i can appreciate it, just not all the time). Susvara was brilliant, but Abyss TOOK ME THERE! So does the inbound LCD4 stand any chance at all? Its an itch i had to scratch!

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Could i have opinions on what we think of Abyss 1266 Phi TC versus LCD4? I already have Immanis and Abyss, and i'm looking for that final complementary final headphone, i cant deal with more than two.

Immanis is a window into music. Abyss to date has been a window into musical emotion. But Abyss drives me nuts with fitment issues and knife edge adjustments to get the bass to be tasteful or the fact that halfway through a song i realise im missing half the bass and need to adjust.

Those who have heard both, please comment and tell me what i would be giving away by selling Abyss, or what i might stand to gain from getting LCD4. Can the LCD4 compete with Abyss for bass on EQ? I previously owned LCD-4Z and many mentioned they were bass canons ... NOPE... NO thhey are not. Is this true of LCD4? Is it monumentally better in the bass department than LCD-4Z?

Your comments are appreciated.

LCD 4 will have a better fit and comfort but they are heavy so depending on how well you do with heavy headphones it might not be a long listening session with them due to the weight.

Abyss has all round better technical performance including a larger stage. Recessed mids and wonky timbre that isn't very natural to my ears. LCD 4 will give you a much better midrange with much more natural instrumental timbre and more forward vocals that have a richness to them that really shine. LCD 4 and 4Z had about the same bass performance from what I recall when I compared them but the bass is very flat so once you EQ, they do become bass cannons without any distortion. You will get better sub-bass on the LCD 4 and more mid-bass on the Abyss.

LCD 4 will basically give you a magical midrange that very few headphones can reproduce with one of the best bass impacts in open backs for sure. It's also a very good all rounder headphone. It will play any genre really well because the timbre is much better than the Abyss.

 

[jonchard]

LCD 4 will have a better fit and comfort but they are heavy so depending on how well you do with heavy headphones it might not be a long listening session with them due to the weight.

Abyss has all round better technical performance including a larger stage. Recessed mids and wonky timbre that isn't very natural to my ears. LCD 4 will give you a much better midrange with much more natural instrumental timbre and more forward vocals that have a richness to them that really shine. LCD 4 and 4Z had about the same bass performance from what I recall when I compared them but the bass is very flat so once you EQ, they do become bass cannons without any distortion. You will get better sub-bass on the LCD 4 and more mid-bass on the Abyss.

LCD 4 will basically give you a magical midrange that very few headphones can reproduce with one of the best bass impacts in open backs for sure. It's also a very good all rounder headphone. It will play any genre really well because the timbre is much better than the Abyss.

Thank you. I read your last 20 pages of CRBN / LCD4 back and forth!

After listening to Immanis for a 10-20 mins then jumping into Abyss, its immediately obvious how wonky they are, timbrally they are really bad. BUT, its a showpiece headphone and Immanis cant so what Abyss does. Immanis also lacks the lowest octave. Listening to the opening of Fugee_La (fugees) is quite funny as Immanis missed the opening notes lol. But i can forgive that when it gets everything above right. But sometimes, wonky timbre is acceptable to hear the song in its entirety at party volumes

When im "In the zone" with Abyss, the Timbre just doesnt bother me as its a true knockout performance. But saying that, im not listening to piano, or trumpets i guess its mainly for electronica and music that requires slam. Something else that annoys me with Abyss, i might get the bass right to knock my head off with aparticular tune (and yes i listen loud) then the next song Abyss is into distortiona nd requires adjustment. Something i really enjoyed about the Sony MDR-Z1R is that it could beat the Abyss deepest bass without ever touching them. They just werent as refined at everything else. But to KNOW the bass was not going to miss the lowest note was refreshing and i guess similar can be enjoyed with LCD4. How much EQ is required to give power to those lowest notes? Can they play loud without distortion? I know the specs are 130db (as were the Solitaire P and they could play loud and hit hard in the mid bass, but again, they missed the lower notes too).

Weight is most probably going to be the worst of it for me. Immanis 610g, Abyss 665g, LCD4 735g <- WOW! EEK!

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Thank you. I read your last 20 pages of CRBN / LCD4 back and forth!

After listening to Immanis for a 10-20 mins then jumping into Abyss, its immediately obvious how wonky they are, timbrally they are really bad. BUT, its a showpiece headphone and Immanis cant so what Abyss does. Immanis also lacks the lowest octave. Listening to the opening of Fugee_La (fugees) is quite funny as Immanis missed the opening notes lol. But i can forgive that when it gets everything above right. But sometimes, wonky timbre is acceptable to hear the song in its entirety at party volumes

When im "In the zone" with Abyss, the Timbre just doesnt bother me as its a true knockout performance. But saying that, im not listening to piano, or trumpets i guess its mainly for electronica and music that requires slam. Something else that annoys me with Abyss, i might get the bass right to knock my head off with aparticular tune (and yes i listen loud) then the next song Abyss is into distortiona nd requires adjustment. Something i really enjoyed about the Sony MDR-Z1R is that it could beat the Abyss deepest bass without ever touching them. They just werent as refined at everything else. But to KNOW the bass was not going to miss the lowest note was refreshing and i guess similar can be enjoyed with LCD4. How much EQ is required to give power to those lowest notes? Can they play loud without distortion? I know the specs are 130db (as were the Solitaire P and they could play loud and hit hard in the mid bass, but again, they missed the lower notes too).

Weight is most probably going to be the worst of it for me. Immanis 610g, Abyss 665g, LCD4 735g <- WOW! EEK!

Many people complain of distortion with the Abyss when playing at loud volume so it doesn't surprise me with your take. For sure they are an endgame headphone for metal and electronic music. The LCD 4 won't wow you like the Abyss but they will probably involve you more emotionally if that makes sense. The richness in the midrange from the instruments and fullness in the vocals are still top tier imo.

I'm probably not as crazy as I used to be about bass but I do +2.2db @32hz and +5.5db @102hz and they really slam like a truck on songs that will require deep bass slam. I did like +12db in the mid-bass when I got them initially and no distortion. For the price of a used LCD 4 you can't really go wrong with them and you can always sell it for basically the same price you paid for them if they aren't for you. I'm only selling my pair because I've moved primarily to estats.

Edit: I am not trying to sell you my LCD 4, I really couldn't care if anyone bought them lol, happy to keep them but having 6 top end headphones is getting ridiculous haha.

 

[jonchard]

Many people complain of distortion with the Abyss when playing at loud volume so it doesn't surprise me with your take. For sure they are an endgame headphone for metal and electronic music. The LCD 4 won't wow you like the Abyss but they will probably involve you more emotionally if that makes sense. The richness in the midrange from the instruments and fullness in the vocals are still top tier imo.

I'm probably not as crazy as I used to be about bass but I do +2.2db @32hz and +5.5db @102hz and they really slam like a truck on songs that will require deep bass slam. I did like +12db in the mid-bass when I got them initially and no distortion. For the price of a used LCD 4 you can't really go wrong with them and you can always sell it for basically the same price you paid for them if they aren't for you. I'm only selling my pair because I've moved primarily to estats.

Its the reason why i bought them straight off, in the UK they sell like hot cakes. I wouldnt lose a penny thank fully.

Of all the headphones i have had, the one experience i have never matched was with LCD-XC. When i first put them on my head i thought they were aneamic crap. Nothing but treble. I was angry that something so crap could be sold for money. Then i EQ'd them and they rocked my world. That was the first step to hifi bliss. And with the right EQ, i have never ever since heard Prodigy Firestarter with such incredible impact and volume. It was outstanding and mind blowing. In a way, im so hoping that LCD4 can be a showstopper! Odd to me that Abyss really fails this one for me!

Its going to be fun ... a week to wait and i shall know i guess.

I saw you liked the L700, are you settled with these now? Have you found something better?

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Its the reason why i bought them straight off, in the UK they sell like hot cakes. I wouldnt lose a penny thank fully.

Of all the headphones i have had, the one experience i have never matched was with LCD-XC. When i first put them on my head i thought they were aneamic crap. Nothing but treble. I was angry that something so crap could be sold for money. Then i EQ'd them and they rocked my world. That was the first step to hifi bliss. And with the right EQ, i have never ever since heard Prodigy Firestarter with such incredible impact and volume. It was outstanding and mind blowing. In a way, im so hoping that LCD4 can be a showstopper! Odd to me that Abyss really fails this one for me!

Its going to be fun ... a week to wait and i shall know i guess.

I saw you liked the L700, are you settled with these now? Have you found something better?

Ah so you just bought the LCD 4 now? I had the LCD X open back and for sure the LCD 4 is a massive step up and the ultimate in the OG Audeze house sound. I must confess that the LCD 4 brought me many emotional listening sessions over my time with it. Those vocals are just something else!

I never tried the L700 but I bought a Stax 007 MK1 recently which really floored me from the 1st song I played on them. If you like bass, 007 MK1 running on a Carbon CC is endgame bass. Detail and texture of an estat with impact right behind an LCD 4. You do need a Carbon CC to get the bass out of them so it will be a steep entry price but you will get technical performance better than basically any planar with crazy bass impact and a warmer than usual sound for an estat.

 

[jonchard]

ahh my mistake "007 MK1" ... it was 20 pages ago read two days ago

Damn you for putting "end game bass" in my head lol! I think i need to seek an audtion, not one to change blindly as it changes the amp and im not prepared to shelve that yet! Im quite taken with the Soul 170 and to be honest, Immanis scratched the greatest itch for me. I just can't trust myself with it when I need volume and bass. I will report my finding once i have LCD4. It was bought a couple of days ago, but i got impatient with reviews and the slow post from CAN to UK and wanted to seek opinions

 

[TheAbyss2022]

ahh my mistake "007 MK1" ... it was 20 pages ago read two days ago

Damn you for putting "end game bass" in my head lol! I think i need to seek an audtion, not one to change blindly as it changes the amp and im not prepared to shelve that yet! Im quite taken with the Soul 170 and to be honest, Immanis scratched the greatest itch for me. I just can't trust myself with it when I need volume and bass. I will report my finding once i have LCD4. It was bought a couple of days ago, but i got impatient with reviews and the slow post from CAN to UK and wanted to seek opinions

Definitely share your impressions when you get them. The Soul 170HA will surely get the most out of them and hopefully synergise well. Volume will be an issue for you because the sound just gets even fuller when you turn them up so try and save your ears!

 

[jonchard]

Definitely share your impressions when you get them. The Soul 170HA will surely get the most out of them and hopefully synergise well. Volume will be an issue for you because the sound just gets even fuller when you turn them up so try and save your ears!

I'm a heller for cranking for a good fuller sound ;(

 

[Trance_Gott]

My review for the iBasso DX340 is online now.
An outstanding endgame DAP!!!
A portable dream duo with LCD-4 and the 12V Super Gain Mode!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ibasso-dx340.27845/reviews#review-36787