[Clive101]

I tried the Questyle CMA800i with the LCD4, I think it is the best ss amp I have tried so far.
Very clean, crisp and neutral. Sounded similar to the Gold Stack I heard at a show only briefly.
Has a sound a bit like the GSXmk2 but without the edginess in the treble.
I couldn't really fault it other than thinking if it had more power it may be even better.
Volume was at about 70%. Pity it doesn't have the power the lesser CMA600i model has.

Have you ever tried just using just one of the CMA800r's?
Wondering how much improvement there is going with two with the LCD4.
The CMA800i has similar amp specs to the CMA800r but has no full balanced mode.

I did not try a single CMA800r so unable to comment. I was in a similar situation always wondering that I had enough reserve power to command the mighty LCD4. Hence the "Questyle Goldstack".

The main thing I discovered is the power supply to the rig was the most important in terms of sound quality either with DAVE or Questyle.

If you end up with the CMA800R you could always add an extra for the added power but 70 % is enough ...? What DAC are you using does it have a preamp maybe that would help..?

 

[mlxx]

I did not try a single CMA800r so unable to comment. I was in a similar situation always wondering that I had enough reserve power to command the mighty LCD4. Hence the "Questyle Goldstack".

The main thing I discovered is the power supply to the rig was the most important in terms of sound quality either with DAVE or Questyle.

If you end up with the CMA800R you could always add an extra for the added power but 70 % is enough ...? What DAC are you using does it have a preamp maybe that would help..?

It seemed the CMA800i had enough power, it sounded really good with its built-in dac.
The shop has all the different models but only has one CMA800r so I can't try two, thus far I have only tried the CMA800i though.
I will have to go back and try them all out, seems the amp sections are all very similar going by the the specs.
Maybe I can get a CMA600i that has more power and pair it with a hugo 2 or something like that (if its dac is not so good).
If I go with 2x CMA800r then I will need a balanced dac, currently I only have a Burson Conductor using its sabre dac.
The Burson is quite good but it sounds a little grainy sometimes at the higher volume needed for the LCD4 (it was excellent with the LCD3F).
On the same day I listened to the 430HA again, still too smooth, and to the v281 (balanced this time) it was dull in the treble.
It cheered me up listening to the CMA800i, it was just right.

 

[seamon]

It seemed the CMA800i had enough power, it sounded really good with its built-in dac.
The shop has all the different models but only has one CMA800r so I can't try two, thus far I have only tried the CMA800i though.
I will have to go back and try them all out, seems the amp sections are all very similar going by the the specs.
Maybe I can get a CMA600i that has more power and pair it with a hugo 2 or something like that (if its dac is not so good).
If I go with 2x CMA800r then I will need a balanced dac, currently I only have a Burson Conductor using its sabre dac.
The Burson is quite good but it sounds a little grainy sometimes at the higher volume needed for the LCD4 (it was excellent with the LCD3F).
On the same day I listened to the 430HA again, still too smooth, and to the v281 (balanced this time) it was dull in the treble.
It cheered me up listening to the CMA800i, it was just right.

I am using the CMA600i with the LCD 4 and I feel this is a very good match. My volume stays at 9-11 o' clock so it has plenty power for the LCD 4.

If you do end up getting 2xCMA800R, do consider the Questyle CAS192D. It sounds fantastic

 

[mlxx]

I am using the CMA600i with the LCD 4 and I feel this is a very good match. My volume stays at 9-11 o' clock so it has plenty power for the LCD 4.

If you do end up getting 2xCMA800R, do consider the Questyle CAS192D. It sounds fantastic

On the CMA800i the volume was at 1 to 2 o'clock and it goes to about 5 o'clock max.
I will try the CAS192D as the dac for the CMA800r, the CMA800i is like an "all in one" of these two.
So I would like to compare them, I will also try the CMA600i for the extra power.
The CAS192D doesn't have a volume control which would come in handy for the dual mono mode.
They will also have the gold stack soon, if I like that a lot more I might start with a CMA800r golden.

I would also still like to listen to the Milo (hard outside the US) and the Auralic Taurus.
The Taurus/Vega was my fav system with with the LCD3F, these might be getting superseded as they have disappeared.

 

[odanovich]

Guys, I pulled the trigger and purchased the LCD-4. I pick it up tomorrow night... can't wait!

I will be using the Chord Hugo2 for the DAC. Connecting it to the iFi Pro iCan Mixed Tube and Solid-State Headphone Amplifier.

The iFi Pro iCan arrives this Thursday (a couple days later)

I'll be sure to post my thoughts of the LCD-4 dirrctly connected to the Hugo2 and then a follow-up connected to Hugo2 > Pro iCan.

I'm assuming the Hugo2 will be underwhelming as I've heard it can't power these bad boys to the levels they deserve. Should be interesting regardless.

Would love to hear someones thoughts on the iFi Pro iCan connected to the LCD-4. Hopefully it will be a decent option. (Kind of a gut purchase with not too much research)

My only headphones at the moment are the LCD-i4 - so getting their bigger brother shoulsdbe a welcoming addition. Hoping for some more bass.

 

[seamon]

My only headphones at the moment are the LCD-i4 - so getting their bigger brother shoulsdbe a welcoming addition. Hoping for some more bass.

LCD 4 is LCD-i4's father

 

[odanovich]

LCD 4 is LCD-i4's father

Haha, okay I like the way you stated that seamon

 

[Eduardo C]

Guys, I pulled the trigger and purchased the LCD-4. I pick it up tomorrow night... can't wait!

I will be using the Chord Hugo2 for the DAC. Connecting it to the iFi Pro iCan Mixed Tube and Solid-State Headphone Amplifier.

The iFi Pro iCan arrives this Thursday (a couple days later)

I'll be sure to post my thoughts of the LCD-4 dirrctly connected to the Hugo2 and then a follow-up connected to Hugo2 > Pro iCan.

I'm assuming the Hugo2 will be underwhelming as I've heard it can't power these bad boys to the levels they deserve. Should be interesting regardless.

Would love to hear someones thoughts on the iFi Pro iCan connected to the LCD-4. Hopefully it will be a decent option. (Kind of a gut purchase with not too much research)

My only headphones at the moment are the LCD-i4 - so getting their bigger brother shoulsdbe a welcoming addition. Hoping for some more bass.

Congrats on your new lcd-4. You will love them.

I have tried my lcd-4 connected directly to the Hugo 2 and also using the Hugo 2 as DAC feeding the PassLabs hpa-1. Simply there is no contest. With the hpa-1 in the chain the sound is much much better, fuller, richer. The Hugo 2 alone cannot drive the lcd-4 very well, the sound becomes thin and not engaging at all.

 

[ken6217]

+1

You need an amp with the Hugo 2.

Remember loudness and power are not the same thing.

 

[mlxx]

Continued my Questyle adventure today, spent 1.5hrs trying all the permutations with the LCD4.
Here are the results...

CMA600i balanced with inbuilt dac:
Volume about 11 o'clock, easily drives the LCD4.
It is immediately obvious this is a lesser model, not up to the level of the 800 series.
Has a more smooth less resolving, less open, thicker sound, vocals slightly recessed.
Still very good for its price, better than my current Burson Conductor.

CMA800i with inbuilt dac:
Volume at about 2 o'clock, easily drives the LCD4.
Volume does nothing till about 12 o'clock then increases quickly, has a different taper to the rest (for iems maybe).
Sound is far superior to the CMA600i, extremely balanced, vocals a lot more clear.
A bargain at its price, probably the best I have heard the LCD4 sound so far (other than the higher Questyle models).
Audeze King amp had a larger 3D sound but was slightly thicker sounding.
Hard to pick between them in a demo at different times with different LCD4/dac but CMA800i is a lot better priced.

1x CMA800r (non gold) with CAS192D (non gold):
:Volume about 11 o'clock, easily drives the LCD4.
Seems to have quite a lot more power than the CMA800i but power specs for the two are the same (???).
A step up from the CMA800i but not by much, the only way I can pick them apart easily is that the CMA800i is smoother sounding.
There is increased separation, dynamics, airiness, bigger sound stage, but otherwise has the same sound signature as the CMA800i.

1x CMA800r golden with CAS192D golden:
Volume about 11 o'clock, easily drives the LCD4.
Very small improvement but detectable. Better dynamics, clearer more open, easier to hear everything.

FULL Gold Stack, 2x CMA800r golden, CAS192D golden, CMA800P golden:
Volume about 11 o'clock on the pre-amp with 2x CMA800r on max volume, easily drives the LCD4.
Well into diminishing returns but still detectable, better dynamics, better refinement.

To give them all a score it would be...
CMA600i balanced with inbuilt dac: 45%
CMA800i with inbuilt dac: 85%
1x CMA800r (non gold) with CAS192D (non gold): 92%
1x CMA800r golden with CAS192D golden: 95%
FULL Gold Stack: 100%

The 800 components have the most balanced sound I have ever heard, like a goldilocks sound.. just right.
Some components have been around for about 4 years now so they are probably due for an update, might wait to see what turns up at CES.
In the meantime, I will have to work out which combination to get and if to replace the CAS192D with a Hugo 2 (without stuffing things up).

 

[Hifi59]

Totally random and unnecessary Cocobolo 200 ohm photos for your viewing pleasure. Still tearing it up!

 

[isquirrel]

Took me while to be convinced by a friend to get into Music Servers and started with the Antipodes DX, incredible change. Similarly the jump to an Aurender W20 and synced word clock paid even bigger dividends. Wish Aurender would allow Roon to run, but you can't have everything.

I had 2 LCD-4's and always went back to the 100 ohm version. Sold the other. I can't wait to hear the new version.

 

[isquirrel]

Totally random and unnecessary Cocobolo 200 ohm photos for your viewing pleasure. Still tearing it up!

Love the Cocobolo, I had to buy mine in the US to get them as they were not available for sale in Aus. Thanks for the photos.

 

[CoLdAsSauLt]

I had 2 LCD-4's and always went back to the 100 ohm version. Sold the other. I can't wait to hear the new version.

The new version?

 

[odanovich]

The new version?

Haha, agreed. Please share the deets...