Audeze LCD-4z - Impressions Thread

[commtrd]

My 4z have been incredible. Can't wait to hear with new updated pads. I am a little spoiled now with the staging displayed by Meze Elites. One thing, the Elites are not near as tolerant of sub-par recordings AT ALL. So it will be really interesting to compare the two with 4z new pads.

 

[geoffalter11]

 

[mightytison]

This came directly from an Audeze support inquiry when I asked if they would be making a new EQ profile in Roon for the 4Z with the newer pads and grill material. I was told the deviation from the previous curve was not enough to warrant a new profile, but I was given this to show the exact change in frequency due to the pad change. He said that flat in this case was the old pads/material. This graph shows the changes from that.

 

[Kozwoz]

I’ve tried the Roon presets. They’re nice but I don’t think they transform the headphone. You can see at the most any deviation is +/- 2db.

 

[geoffalter11]

I prefer my 4z to my LCD4. Ultimately I can extract more out of the LCD4 and they continue to scale where as the 4z has somewhat of a ceiling but I can reach it’s true potential much quicker and more easily.

The 4z is technically faster than the LCD4 to my ears, it has a blacker background and a stronger centre image where as the LCD4 is a touch wider and more euphoric / smoother. I hear the 4z more accurate throughout the mids.

The 4z is certainly underrated and it gets a lot of crap from the LCD4 camp. It should of never of been marketed as an easier to drive LCD4 but a stand-alone product. It’s badass.

The future is in efficient headphones... not TOTL headphones that require nuclear reactors to run and several other boutique devices in your chain to sound it’s best.

No headphone requires a nuclear reactor. There is a reason Nelson Pass called his company First Watt.

I agree with your sentiments about the 4z. It is truly a special headphone. It is the physicality of the sound with a slight hint of warmth and tonal weight that makes so it wonderful to my ears.

 

[deafenears]

This came directly from an Audeze support inquiry when I asked if they would be making a new EQ profile in Roon for the 4Z with the newer pads and grill material. I was told the deviation from the previous curve was not enough to warrant a new profile, but I was given this to show the exact change in frequency due to the pad change. He said that flat in this case was the old pads/material. This graph shows the changes from that.

This was posted by Audeze a while back on HF and again recently too:

Consider the old pads a flat line, and this is what the new pads do in comparison. As you can see, it's mostly subtle differeences, with the biggest change being a bump at 3khz.

 

[pdL389]

…………..
The sound improves even more with a cable swap. When I had the Empyrean’s, I put the Furukawa Silver Plated PCUHD Copper on the 4z’s. The sound improved even more to my ears. Both cables are silver plated copper, but the configuration is different. I also think the Empyrean cable uses 8-wires compared to the 4-wire Audeze cable. With the Furukawa Silver Plated PCUHD Copper 4z’s, The bass tightens up and the treble is a lot cleaner, clearer, more resolving. The mids are more detailed as well. So I ordered a pure silver cable for my 4z’s from Lavricables, which hopes for similar benefits.
…………..

Quoting the fellow former‘s impression above after trying Meze Empyrean Furukawa Silver Plated PCUHD cable with Audeze LCD-4z, I wanted to share mine, after giving Meze cable a shot. My experience was different. The Meze cable changes the sound signature of 4z. To my ears, it makes a weaker slam to the bass notes, vocals/treble become even more forward. Another observation, with Meze cable you have to crank up the volume to match it to the LCD cable.

IMHO, the original black’n white premium LCD cable is a far better paring producing tighter bass and overall cleaner presentation. Regretfully, I will be selling my Meze cable.

 

[commtrd]

Got my 4z back from Audeze where I had them replace the stock pads with the new style pads, which oddly look almost identical (from memory) to the old pads. So I plugged them in for a listen. And the new pads do bring out the mid to lower treble regions a bit more. Quite a refreshing change. Still great bass, maybe just a bit more detailed and tighter but now the headphones seem just a bit more detailed and slightly improved sound stage. Now my 4z and my Meze Elites sound practically identical with a very slight edge in bass perhaps going to 4z. And a very slight edge in long-term wearing comfort going to Elites. These listening tests both with the Toxic Cables pure silver cable.

So if anyone has the older version of the 4z, I would definitely say that sending them in for a set of the new style pads is quite a worthwhile endeavor. Very much recommended.

 

[senseitedj]

Got my 4z back from Audeze where I had them replace the stock pads with the new style pads, which oddly look almost identical (from memory) to the old pads. So I plugged them in for a listen. And the new pads do bring out the mid to lower treble regions a bit more. Quite a refreshing change. Still great bass, maybe just a bit more detailed and tighter but now the headphones seem just a bit more detailed and slightly improved sound stage. Now my 4z and my Meze Elites sound practically identical with a very slight edge in bass perhaps going to 4z. And a very slight edge in long-term wearing comfort going to Elites. These listening tests both with the Toxic Cables pure silver cable.

So if anyone has the older version of the 4z, I would definitely say that sending them in for a set of the new style pads is quite a worthwhile endeavor. Very much recommended.

I agree with everything you have just said, Especially your comment about the Meze Elites.

To my ears, the 4z has more bass quantity compared to the elites, but the latter edges out a bit for soundstage.

 

[geoffalter11]

I agree with everything you have just said, Especially your comment about the Meze Elites.

To my ears, the 4z has more bass quantity compared to the elites, but the latter edges out a bit for soundstage.

I own the 4z and have demoed the Elite as well. I go back and forth between an Audio Sensibility Silver Statement Cable and the black and white premium copper/silver plated. I like them with both cables. Differences to me are there but not huge. I personally found the Audeze more to my preferences versus the Elite. I liked the Elite very much, especially the aesthetics and comfort. Sound at times felt a bit smooth. I love the physical nature of the 4z. At times it can sound a bit warm to me, but it has plenty of resolution and the midrange and bass are so enticingly tuned. The Elite had a bit more lateral staging, but sounded light in comparison. I don’t love the planar tuning that tends closer to an E-Stat. The reason I loved the Code X, and continue to love the LCD-4z. It is all the headphone I need. It does everything well to my ears. It isn’t the most resolving, or the most open, but it is just so incredibly musical, weighty and visceral with a wonderful sense of pace. I thought about letting it go a couple weeks ago and then was reminded over the last couple days why I own it and what makes it such a special headphone. I maybe a lifer with my 4z. It isn’t end game, that concept eludes me, but I can’t see ever boring of the way it sounds.

 

[commtrd]

Man I don't think that selling the 4z would be a wise move personally. I could never ever let mine go. I made that mistake with my LCD3-pf and not going there again. If I had to pick just one headphone to own and never have any other it would be the 4z (with the new pads) I think. Or the Meze Elite, but prolly the 4z. For the above-mentioned reasons which I totally agree with. There are more resolving cans true, but for sheer musicality and listening pleasure (for me) the 4z tick all the boxes. Interestingly, I have the Elites connected to the amp now, mainly because they sound friggin' awesome and they are so darn comfortable it is insane. Then someday I will get the urge to swap 'em out, and the 4z will be on for prolly months who knows? I love them both and don't see any need to get any other headphones, now a TOTL tube amp and a Holo May or KTE Spring 3 dac, different story there. Upgrading the chain is and will be my priority as funds permit. Really love this hobby, have spent too much on it, (a lot less than others though) and it is so worth it.

 

[geoffalter11]

Man I don't think that selling the 4z would be a wise move personally. I could never ever let mine go. I made that mistake with my LCD3-pf and not going there again. If I had to pick just one headphone to own and never have any other it would be the 4z (with the new pads) I think. Or the Meze Elite, but prolly the 4z. For the above-mentioned reasons which I totally agree with. There are more resolving cans true, but for sheer musicality and listening pleasure (for me) the 4z tick all the boxes. Interestingly, I have the Elites connected to the amp now, mainly because they sound friggin' awesome and they are so darn comfortable it is insane. Then someday I will get the urge to swap 'em out, and the 4z will be on for prolly months who knows? I love them both and don't see any need to get any other headphones, now a TOTL tube amp and a Holo May or KTE Spring 3 dac, different story there. Upgrading the chain is and will be my priority as funds permit. Really love this hobby, have spent too much on it, (a lot less than others though) and it is so worth it.

I spent yrs chasing the elusive synergy that became my chain. Tons of amps, DACs, cables, DDCs, Roon, etc. I get your conundrum. It is an enticing feeling looking for the last few percentage points. On my journey I realized that I kept running into budget constraints. Which ended up making it a chess match for me. Seek out the pieces that hit my preferences and buy them at the right time. Each time I changed a piece, I would then assess whether or not something else needed to change. After a couple yrs I landed on the tube amp (with too many NOS tubes), the SS amp of my dreams (didn’t even know what I had til I got it fixed and then it hit me how special this amp is), and I walked into a Comet+ DAC that harmonized perfectly with my amps. My last piece was the simplest, a small DDC out of my iMac that turned it into a high powered music server. Now I just play with headphones. End Game? Certainly not, but a chain that allows me to hear exactly as my music sounds and a nice compliment of headphones each with their own reason and place. Anchored of course by the 4z.

I agree with everything you say as well. Hard to go wrong with either headphone. It is like asking me if I want to see my favorite band from the 3rd or 6th row. Differences exist, but both are magical.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I am shocked by those who say the Elite and 4Z sound practically identical. The Elite has a noticeably wider soundstage and is noticaby softer.

The 4z has a bit more byte and more fullness; The 4Z is a bit wetter.

And- I do agree with the comment of planners sounding like estats. Actually the Elite is not nearly as bad as the Susvara; much less ethereal and more meat on the bones- but still- I'd call it 30% or so in the electrostatic direction. I like planners to sound like planners; more physical, less ethereal

 

[paulybatz]

I am shocked by those who say the Elite and 4Z sound practically identical. The Elite has a noticeably wider soundstage and is noticaby softer.

The 4z has a bit more byte and more fullness; The 4Z is a bit wetter.

And- I do agree with the comment of planners sounding like estats. Actually the Elite is not nearly as bad as the Susvara; much less ethereal and more meat on the bones- but still- I'd call it 30% or so in the electrostatic direction. I like planners to sound like planners; more physical, less ethereal

Hmmmm. Interesting

Haven’t thought about the 4z for a while now…which do you like better?

 

[rsbrsvp]

not sure-- just mentioning that IMHO it does not sound like the Elite- at least in audiophile terms. To a non audiophile- perhaps they would say they are pretty close.