Audeze LCD-4

[TheAbyss2022]

My LCD4 arrived today. I was testing it on Soul 170HA. Tubes were U52 rectifiers and 5692 RCA redbase. It was utterly amazing. Bass to knock my head off. LCD4 takes EQ like no other headphone i have used. I tried with the 4Z but found it to be pointless. Im actually preferring the LCD4 to the AByss 1266 Phi TC which i never thought i would say. I need a few more days to understand this LOL! LCD4 is an amazing headphone and i have Abyss side by side to AB. I'll come back with my thoughts in a couple of days. What a great night that was.

I'm glad to hear on your initial impressions with the LCD 4. For sure it's the full experience on the OG version and I told you it can take any EQ you can throw at it.

LCD 4 is just a much more complete listening experience compared to the Abyss.

 

[jonchard]

I'm glad to hear on your initial impressions with the LCD 4. For sure it's the full experience on the OG version and I told you it can take any EQ you can throw at it.

LCD 4 is just a much more complete listening experience compared to the Abyss.

This is exactly where im going. BUT, there are times i really like the recessed mids of Abyss, and sometimes the more airy treble, but for a laid back listening experience, its rather decent. The big problem is that i find myself playing them to ear splitting levels because its so ludicrous! I was being a good boy with Immanis and playing them down a bit, but i cant help myself with LCD4. It also stages more intimately than the Immanis, so i think a great compliment. And its comfortable headphone, albeit a touch heavy but i wasnt too bad with it tonight... maybe i'll pay tomorrow. For such an old headphone, Audeze did an amazing job. Anyone who hasnt tried, who loves bass and a weighty presentation, its something else ... then you can EQ it and its astoungly good. It has been a while since headphones rattled and tickled my ears and cheeks!!

 

[TheAbyss2022]

This is exactly where im going. BUT, there are times i really like the recessed mids of Abyss, and sometimes the more airy treble, but for a laid back listening experience, its rather decent. The big problem is that i find myself playing them to ear splitting levels because its so ludicrous! I was being a good boy with Immanis and playing them down a bit, but i cant help myself with LCD4. It also stages more intimately than the Immanis, so i think a great compliment. And its comfortable headphone, albeit a touch heavy but i wasnt too bad with it tonight... maybe i'll pay tomorrow. For such an old headphone, Audeze did an amazing job. Anyone who hasnt tried, who loves bass and a weighty presentation, its something else ... then you can EQ it and its astoungly good. It has been a while since headphones rattled and tickled my ears and cheeks!!

Yeah it's one of the few high end headphones with a more relaxing presentation. Not detail being shoved in your face and its a more euphoric listening experience, especially with warm tubes.

How is the bass compared to the Abyss for you?

 

[jonchard]

Yeah it's one of the few high end headphones with a more relaxing presentation. Not detail being shoved in your face and its a more euphoric listening experience, especially with warm tubes.

How is the bass compared to the Abyss for you?

The Abyss bass wise never truly impressed me. I enjoyed it, and its a step above most others. BUT, i also put the head to head with the Sony MDR-Z1R and its bass is deeper and more consistant. It uses a bass port to great effect. But the headphone sounds metallic in places compared with Abyss. But being a dynamic driver, it rattled the skull! The LCD 4 is more of this but with a far nicer quality midrange and really quite perfect treble for my musical genres. SO im finding LCD4 to be worth every penny for me, and its bass is moreso than Abyss when using EQ without all the idiosynchasies or distortion of the Abyss. I need to AB them over the next few days and be sure this is my choice. In a perfect world i would keep them all, but other hobbies need cash LOL! So one must go and i think it will be the Abyss. Im mighty impressed with LCD4, a very good all arounder.

 

[jonchard]

What are your top choices at this time?

I go

RAAL Immanis, LCD4, Abyss 1266 Phi TC, Hifiman Susvara, Hifiman HEKSE, Sony MDR-Z1R, T+A Solitaire P, LCD-XC.

And i think im settling for Immanis and LCD4. I cant deal with anymore than that!

 

[jlbrach]

I have owned 2 LCD-4s and 1 4z and own the 1266...to me they play in a different league,the LCD-4 is a fun HP and I obviously enjoyed it but the combination of the larger soundstage, the better detail and outstanding bass just makes the 1266 a cut above...same with the susvara

 

[TheAbyss2022]

What are your top choices at this time?

I go

RAAL Immanis, LCD4, Abyss 1266 Phi TC, Hifiman Susvara, Hifiman HEKSE, Sony MDR-Z1R, T+A Solitaire P, LCD-XC.

And i think im settling for Immanis and LCD4. I cant deal with anymore than that!

1. Stax 007 MK1
2.Stax 009SS
3. Audeze LCD 4
4. Stax 009
5. Audeze CRBN
6. HEKSE

I'm selling the CRBN and happy keeping everything else.

 

[jonchard]

I have owned 2 LCD-4s and 1 4z and own the 1266...to me they play in a different league,the LCD-4 is a fun HP and I obviously enjoyed it but the combination of the larger soundstage, the better detail and outstanding bass just makes the 1266 a cut above...same with the susvara

Yes true, but im choosing based on already having Immanis which is a stage monster. LCD4 is quite a bit more intimate and therefore as i really only want two headphones, its a complimentary choice. Abyss does not hit the lows that LCD4 does and LCD4 has a greater punch than Abyss when EQ'd. Being a loud listener, Abyss was always on the edge of distorion unless fully sealed and at that point it lost its bass. Trying to keep Abyss teetering on the edge of a broken seal was not fun and LCD brings about a cleaner bass with zero effort. LCD-4Z does not play in the same league as LCD-4, nor did it take to EQ - I owned that too for a month and was happy to get rid of it.

 

[jonchard]

1. Stax 007 MK1
2.Stax 009SS
3. Audeze LCD 4
4. Stax 009
5. Audeze CRBN
6. HEKSE

I'm selling the CRBN and happy keeping everything else.

Oh! I thought the CRBN was a keeper! You are certainly Electrostatic biased! I get a feeling i might investigate down the line. Is the 007 mk1 THAT good?

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Oh! I thought the CRBN was a keeper! You are certainly Electrostatic biased! I get a feeling i might investigate down the line. Is the 007 mk1 THAT good?

The 007 MK1 is the best headphone I have ever heard in a home environment. It shares the same sort of relaxed sound signature of the LCD 4 but with more detail than a Susvara and bass that rivals HE1 slam.

I liked the CRBN for what it did compared to the 009/009S because it was a warmer and bassier presentation but when I got the 007 MK1, it really got destroyed lol.

The only downside is the costs involved getting into eststs. You really need a high end amplifier to drive these high end estats because they are so revealing and any weaknesses or changes in your chain will come up very noticeably.

 

[jlbrach]

Yes true, but im choosing based on already having Immanis which is a stage monster. LCD4 is quite a bit more intimate and therefore as i really only want two headphones, its a complimentary choice. Abyss does not hit the lows that LCD4 does and LCD4 has a greater punch than Abyss when EQ'd. Being a loud listener, Abyss was always on the edge of distorion unless fully sealed and at that point it lost its bass. Trying to keep Abyss teetering on the edge of a broken seal was not fun and LCD brings about a cleaner bass with zero effort. LCD-4Z does not play in the same league as LCD-4, nor did it take to EQ - I owned that too for a month and was happy to get rid of it.

no problem, as I said I owned the 4 several times so I obviously liked it

 

[jonchard]

no problem, as I said I owned the 4 several times so I obviously liked it

What did you think of the 4Z? I found it largely inoffensive and fun. But it didnt perform like LCD-4 at all. LCD-4 can just be pushed and pushed and pushed and it doesnt seem to care! I tried to EQ 4Z and thought it was a bit poor. I couldnt get enough of the LCD-4 earlier, a really fun headphone!

 

[jlbrach]

I liked the 4 better than 4z

 

[KaiSc]

Dynamics drivers take a lot of abuse, I suspect t the ribbons would largely be OK as they have significant movement. But a nano thickness planar maybe not. Originally people were breaking the first revision lcd4 by pushing the cups to their ears to help make seal. It was enough moment to break them. Audeze redesigned them and they appear to be largely bombproof now.

Even the latest LCD-4 version I wouldn‘t exactly call “bombproof” in this regard.
Avoid hard-pushing the sealed cups (on your head or onto each other), to be sure to not to rip a diaphragm.
This might easily happen with rough handling during boxed transport too.

The original pelican case has a piece of open-cell foam between the cups for the good reason: to prevent air pressure buildup on one side of the diaphragms.
This can easily be replicated, use any little piece of open cell foam between the cups when storing them, for a long and happy life with your LCD-4.

Power-wise LCD-4 seems to be capable to take whatever you throw at it - within at least half-reasonable levels.
Impossible to make them distort either.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Even the latest LCD-4 version I wouldn‘t exactly call “bombproof” in this regard.
Avoid hard-pushing the sealed cups (on your head or onto each other), to be sure to not to rip a diaphragm.
This might easily happen with rough handling during boxed transport too.

The original pelican case has a piece of open-cell foam between the cups for the good reason: to prevent air pressure buildup on one side of the diaphragms.
This can easily be replicated, use any little piece of open cell foam between the cups when storing them, for a long and happy life with your LCD-4.

Power-wise LCD-4 seems to be capable to take whatever you throw at it - within at least half-reasonable levels.
Impossible to make them distort either.

I wonder how the distortion or lack thereof compares to electrostatic drivers.