[senseitedj]

My LCD-4z’s are back after getting a facelift from Audeze. I sent them in to get the new copper mesh and earpads. I’m happy to report that I do hear a more balanced sounding headphone. @InstantSilence was right, there is a difference in the sound signature. My LCD-4z’s are now better sounding and better looking!

Hi Slim, I currently own the LCD-4z that was made in 2018. I am thinking of sending them in to update them to the 2021 version. After the positive comments and generally the more pleasing aesthetic, i am really tempted in sending them back to Audeze from the UK

Could you share, what the experience was like? how long did it take and how much it costed? Also, is the customer service at Audeze any good?

Cheers!

 

[Slim1970]

Hi Slim, I currently own the LCD-4z that was made in 2018. I am thinking of sending them in to update them to the 2021 version. After the positive comments and generally the more pleasing aesthetic, i am really tempted in sending them back to Audeze from the UK

Could you share, what the experience was like? how long did it take and how much it costed? Also, is the customer service at Audeze any good?

Cheers!

Audeze has great customer service. The overall experience was uneventful and took about two weeks. That included me shipping my LCD-4z's to Audeze. Then Audeze making the updates and shipping them back. Obviously, your wait time would be longer since you're overseas.

Your LCD-4z's need to be under warranty to minimize cost. To make the upgrade, you need to contact Audeze for verification and to get an RMA number. Their customer service reps will guide you through the process. I just paid for the labor, which was like $90 US dollars. The results speak for themselves. The headphones are beautiful to look at, but its the overall sound improvements that make it worth it.

 

[senseitedj]

Audeze has great customer service. The overall experience was uneventful and took about two weeks. That included me shipping my LCD-4z's to Audeze. Then Audeze making the updates and shipping them back. Obviously, your wait time would be longer since you're overseas.

Your LCD-4z's need to be under warranty to minimize cost. To make the upgrade, you need to contact Audeze for verification and to get an RMA number. Their customer service reps will guide you through the process. I just paid for the labor, which was like $90 US dollars. The results speak for themselves. The headphones are beautiful to look at, but its the overall sound improvements that make it worth it.

Thanks for sharing the experience!

My motivation is not just the looks, but i've been reading the incredible feedback that 2021 revisions have made to the headphone sound quality. Seems that previous-gen 4Z was OK, but the updates have really made them sound amazing. I bought these in 2020, but i found out from audeze that my HP was manufactured in 2018 but has not been opened since I purchased them. So I am still within my 3-year warranty.

Another reason I am sending them in is to fix the grill which has oxidised unevenly, so the right cup is brown but the left has not fully oxidised so looks weird yellow/brown. This doesn't affect sound quality just rather annoying to look at. Also to fix a few paint chips/flakes.

For all of you interested, I contacted Audeze and found out the cost to update the HP to the 2021 revisions is 180 USD (this is the quote that I got). The cost to replace each earcup + yoke is 300 USD. They cannot repaint your earcups as they are powder-coated, so if you want to repair the paint you have to replace the entire earcup. This was the info communicated to me by customer service.

 

[Lohb]

Yep, magnesium can be volatile under treated colour if they react. Had that happen with bike parts.

 

[Audeze]

Everyone, heads up, we're offering an LCD-5 Trade-In Program, which expires November 15th, 2021! Details on the thread link below.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lcd-5-trade-in-program-expires-nov-30th-2021.960081/

Act soon.

 

[Mrinfinity]

Hmm. Leap of faith?

 

[Spawn300Z]

Don’t think I would want to give up my 4Z

 

[Slim1970]

Don’t think I would want to give up my 4Z

That’s exactly how I feel. The 4Z’s are keepers for me. They have incredible tone and based on what I’ve been reading about the LCD-5’s they couldn’t sound more different.

 

[senseitedj]

I agree with the sentiments above. Definitely keepers for me. Plus I am way too pre-occupied with sorting out those corroded metal grills

 

[cangle]

Just shipped out my 4z for the trade-in program. After getting the 1266 I haven't been using the 4zs much and I hope that the lcd-5 will be a good compliment to the 1266. The 4z to my ears has a very similar tonality to the 1266 but the 1266 just had more resolution so I ended up using them more. I'm interested in anyone else that goes for this program and what they will think compared to the 4z.

 

[Slim1970]

Just shipped out my 4z for the trade-in program. After getting the 1266 I haven't been using the 4zs much and I hope that the lcd-5 will be a good compliment to the 1266. The 4z to my ears has a very similar tonality to the 1266 but the 1266 just had more resolution so I ended up using them more. I'm interested in anyone else that goes for this program and what they will think compared to the 4z.

I'm keeping my LCD-4z's while adding on the LCD-5's. I am giving up another set of headphones to help fund them. I don't think the LCD-5's will have the warm, detailed, beautiful tonality of the LCD-4z's from what I've been reading. I think they'll be more inline with the TC's, making the LCD-4z's the better compliment to both.

 

[senseitedj]

If I like the LCD-5 from the auditions, then I think I will get the CRBN instead. From what I have read their sound signatures are quite similar, the CRBN having slightly better imaging and soundstage at the expense of Bass slam. Being an E-stat, this is expected.

Plus its a good excuse for me to get into the electrostatics game.

 

[Slim1970]

If I like the LCD-5 from the auditions, then I think I will get the CRBN instead. From what I have read their sound signatures are quite similar, the CRBN having slightly better imaging and soundstage at the expense of Bass slam. Being an E-stat, this is expected.

Plus its a good excuse for me to get into the electrostatics game.

E-stats require a completely different setup. If the LCD-5's can get me close to the CRBN's sound signature, and it seems like it does, I'll take that. I'm not a big fan of e-stats but I like the imaging, soundstage, and sense of space they bring. I need bass and I'm not willing to give that up. It sounds like the LCD-5 is an improvement in all of those areas over the previous models.

 

[senseitedj]

E-stats require a completely different setup. If the LCD-5's can get me close to the CRBN's sound signature, and it seems like it does, I'll take that. I'm not a big fan of e-stats but I like the imaging, soundstage, and sense of space they bring. I need bass and I'm not willing to give that up. It sounds like the LCD-5 is an improvement in all of those areas over the previous models.

That's true. If I was to go to E-stat route, I would go for an amp that can do both E-stat and normal headphone. A good example is the iFI iESL or the Microzotl Z10E (correct me if I got the model names wrong). That way I can get started with an E-stat and my other headphones can benefit from the amp upgrade. But I can totally understand your argument for the LCD-5.

Just to be clear again, the 4z are definitely still keepers for me.

 

[Slim1970]

That's true. If I was to go to E-stat route, I would go for an amp that can do both E-stat and normal headphone. A good example is the iFI iESL or the Microzotl Z10E (correct me if I got the model names wrong). That way I can get started with an E-stat and my other headphones can benefit from the amp upgrade. But I can totally understand your argument for the LCD-5.

Just to be clear again, the 4z are definitely still keepers for me.

I had the Pro iESL and Pro iCan with a set of Stax SR-007 MKII's. Sold them within a week, lol. They are just not my ideal sound.

Glad you're hanging onto the 4z's. They are great headphones!