Audeze LCD-4z - Impressions Thread

[Pr0ject2500]

EXACTLY. They are an INTIMATE headphone- not an airier etherial one. Enjoy them for what they are and dont try to make them into what they were not ment to be. If you want air- get a Susvara--- but it is thin IMHO-- not my taste at all-- but to each their own.

Uh huh.

 

[Kozwoz]

I just bought the 4z after reading this entire thread and I have to say my initial impression was extremely poor. Bought them from Hifiheaven after a trade for a pair of Hifiman HE1000 V2 Stealth and an Aune S17 Pro. I’m currently running a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 into a Schiit Lokius and then a Hifiman Goldenwave Prelude.
With the HE1000’s the sound was sublime, totally articulate, amazing soundstage with a hint of warmth. The issue, though, was the bass or lack thereof. The Stealth version has some punch relative to the SE version and isn’t as analytical, but I love a healthy amount of slam/punch from my headphones when the music calls for it. This brought me to my purchase of the LCD 4Z.
This is my first pair of Audeze headphones and, after reading such positive comments in this thread, I took the plunge. When I first put them on, I noticed that they are a bit heavier, but nothing that would prevent me from wearing them for hours. I would also note that they exude quality. While the design might have its shortcomings, the look, feel and even weight convey a sense that you’ve purchased something meaningful. This is clearly not a toy.
Initial impressions with the sound signature were not as pleasant, however. The bass was hidden relative to even the HE1000 Stealth. I’ve read ad nauseum about Audeze’s house sound and that deep, impactful bass being one of its signatures. The letdown was pretty severe given the price paid and I thought a return was imminent after listening to them for over 5 hours. I did sleep on it, though and let them burn in overnight and into the following afternoon.

The first song I played was the now ubiquitous Kill Jill—a staple for determining bass impact—and I noticed the bass seemed to have awakened somewhat. I did some eq-ing with the Lokius and listened a bit more. There was still a bit of honk and not as much clarity, but I stopped and let them burn in for another 14 hours at least. Between my ears becoming accustomed to the sound and any residual burn-in effect (Audeze does their own), I am slowly falling for these headphones and their sound. The bass has REALLY opened up and the veil shifting to a lovely warmth that permeates all music maintaining a euphonic character throughout. The 4Z is a resolute set of headphones and the detail is absolutely there, but eq has been a necessity for me in order to obtain more air at the top end. The planar system Audeze use allows for some incredible musical moments. An example I love to use for mids/detail retrieval is Carlos Ambrosio’s solo guitar interpretation on Bach’s Rondo Gavotte, which is simply magical on the 4z. Every note seems to be plucked out of the aether with the dynamics of the headphones capturing the nuance of his playing perfectly.
There are, however, two drawbacks that I want to mention, the first of which is the rod system used to elevate or lower the position of the cups. The small chamber that is enclosed over the rod, will, at times, shift down if I move my head ever so slightly. I’m not sure if this a quality control issue or if it moves due to the weight of cup, but it is a bother, although nothing I couldn’t live with. The other problem is the slanted pads. While I assume Audeze had a specific reason for this implementation, the pads feel like they are being pushed forward off my head from the weight of the rest of system. Again, I make a minor adjustment and I’m fine, but it is an annoyance.
I could go on for a few more paragraphs, but I’ve already overstayed my welcome and this is actually my first post, so forgive me.
To conclude, with the exception of a few caveats, these headphones are truly special, but you need to be patient and willing to potentially eq them. If you are (patient and willing, that is), the result is nothing short of spectacular.

For headbands made in 2022 or later, the tension can be adjusted with a 1.98mm (5/64") hex key. Make sure the hex key is well seated before adjusting or you can strip the screw. A slight turn clockwise will tighter the adjustment block and keep them from slipping.

This should resolve your 4z slipping down. I had the same issue...

 

[senseitedj]

I still cherish my lcd-4z even with the onslaught of planars available these days. It still is really good when compared with those similar TOTL products.

The thickness of is sound whilst retaining speed is quite amazing to me.

 

[Pr0ject2500]

For headbands made in 2022 or later, the tension can be adjusted with a 1.98mm (5/64") hex key. Make sure the hex key is well seated before adjusting or you can strip the screw. A slight turn clockwise will tighter the adjustment block and keep them from slipping.

This should resolve your 4z slipping down. I had the same issue...

That was a great tip. Thank you!

 

[Pr0ject2500]

It seems I’m going to be returning the 4Z. After having listened to them for a week now, they haven’t opened up as much as I had expected. I’ve likely put a solid 50 hours listening time in and the mid-range (especially in guitars and vocals) just sounds wrong. There seems to be an unnatural thickness to it that no other headphone I’ve had exhibits. I loved what I read about the 4Z and others experience with it and they are, in fact, a resolving headphone, but the tuning just seems off. After eq-ing, I can get what I consider a bit more air to the sound but that glare in the mid-range will simply not go away. At $4,000, I expected a bit more and while the aesthetics are fantastic, the build is also a point of contention due to the right encasement that slides up/down the rod of the right cup. After @Kozwoz provided a great tip, I tried tightening the encasement a bit more to no avail: it would still slip ever so slightly when moving my head. I applaud @Audeze for the work they do and I love the fact an American company is able to put out such well regarded headphones, but this one is not for me.

Part of me hopes this was just a bad set, but I have no way of knowing and for the money paid, i just expected more.

 

[rsbrsvp]

They are indeed THICK sounding. This is not a defect- but intentional. They are not airy- but rather intimate, and very solid and thick sounding.

I would say they are the most "physical" sounding headphones I know of.

I LOVE this sound- but I agree that it is not necessairly what others will like.

A very powerful SS amp that grabs the drivers strong,- like a CFA-3 does bring out more air and openness- but they remain thick- the way I like it, just brighten up a bit with proper power.

 

[rsbrsvp]

By the way- I also agree the thickness in unnatural in the sense that live music is not so thick as presented by the 4z. And once again- I love it. It grabs my emotions....

I would not pay $4000 for this or any headphone. I buy used for usually half of retail or less. 4Z are available for arounf $1850 or so used in like new condition.

 

[Kozwoz]

It seems I’m going to be returning the 4Z. After having listened to them for a week now, they haven’t opened up as much as I had expected. I’ve likely put a solid 50 hours listening time in and the mid-range (especially in guitars and vocals) just sounds wrong. There seems to be an unnatural thickness to it that no other headphone I’ve had exhibits. I loved what I read about the 4Z and others experience with it and they are, in fact, a resolving headphone, but the tuning just seems off. After eq-ing, I can get what I consider a bit more air to the sound but that glare in the mid-range will simply not go away. At $4,000, I expected a bit more and while the aesthetics are fantastic, the build is also a point of contention due to the right encasement that slides up/down the rod of the right cup. After @Kozwoz provided a great tip, I tried tightening the encasement a bit more to no avail: it would still slip ever so slightly when moving my head. I applaud @Audeze for the work they do and I love the fact an American company is able to put out such well regarded headphones, but this one is not for me.

Part of me hopes this was just a bad set, but I have no way of knowing and for the money paid, i just expected more.

I've used the 4z for many years now and having owned 4x pairs previously, I can tell you there's a fair amount of unit to unit variation. Frequency response will be different for every pair past 3khz. You can request the frequency response from Audeze for you specific pair using the serial number.

The 4z aren't really easy to drive despite the marketing. They require a lot of current which Class A does best. I don't listen to my 4z without EQ. The 4z takes EQ like a champ and you can push them really hard without causing distortion. I don't particularly like the stock tuning - so we're in the same boat if you choose to go the no EQ route. There is usually a peak around 1khz that find annoying which could be the glare you're hearing. This is further emphasised by the 4khz dip and the high contrast which is caused by 10khz and 16khz peaks. The 4z is far from perfect but few headphones take EQ so well like the 4z and LCD4.

Your head shape might not be a good fit if your pair keeps slipping. I've also found that the looser the fit, the more open they sound and a tighter fit will result in a thicker more intimate presentation. Where your ear sits in the cup is also important. I prefer the ear to sit further back in the cup as this gives a more relaxed sound. If your ear sits further forward in the cup this should result in a more direct immediate sound because your ear is closer to the driver. It's worth experimenting to get the right position but appreciate the 4z might not be what you're looking for.

 

[balvan]

It seems I’m going to be returning the 4Z. After having listened to them for a week now, they haven’t opened up as much as I had expected. I’ve likely put a solid 50 hours listening time in and the mid-range (especially in guitars and vocals) just sounds wrong. There seems to be an unnatural thickness to it that no other headphone I’ve had exhibits. I loved what I read about the 4Z and others experience with it and they are, in fact, a resolving headphone, but the tuning just seems off. After eq-ing, I can get what I consider a bit more air to the sound but that glare in the mid-range will simply not go away. At $4,000, I expected a bit more and while the aesthetics are fantastic, the build is also a point of contention due to the right encasement that slides up/down the rod of the right cup. After @Kozwoz provided a great tip, I tried tightening the encasement a bit more to no avail: it would still slip ever so slightly when moving my head. I applaud @Audeze for the work they do and I love the fact an American company is able to put out such well regarded headphones, but this one is not for me.

Part of me hopes this was just a bad set, but I have no way of knowing and for the money paid, i just expected more.

Contact them before you do anything, they might offer a solution. Their support is great!

 

[rsbrsvp]

I second the "not easy to drive" point. True- in terms of volume- you dont need alot of power to jack up the volume; but to get the drivers to really shine- the more power the better.

4Z is not a reference sound. It is a colored sound- if I ever heard one. But I love the coloring. It is dark, and meaty,; yet still retaining good resolution and seperation. I love the 4z better than the 4. I find it more energetic, less veiled, less lush. I much prefer the 4z to the 5. The 5 is the resolution, seperation champ over the 4z, but I like the 4Z tuning- stock- no EQ. It is a fatter, rounder, more solid sound;- more pleasing to my ears and my soul. The 4Z has what I would call a dark "mellowness" while still being energetic at the same time when driven by alot of power. I do believe my tastes are not necessairly the norm.

 

[betula]

The 4Z is an acquired taste, it is not for everyone. Thick sound and slightly coloured but with pretty good technicalities. I actually quite enjoyed them when I tried them again at CanJam London. IMO the competition is too strong now at $4K, but barely used second-hand units can be found around $1.8K-$1.9K and for that these are still really, really good as long as someone digs their tuning and presentation, which I do. If I could afford to keep 6-8 flagship headphones, these would definitely be amongst them.

 

[Pr0ject2500]

I've used the 4z for many years now and having owned 4x pairs previously, I can tell you there's a fair amount of unit to unit variation. Frequency response will be different for every pair past 3khz. You can request the frequency response from Audeze for you specific pair using the serial number.

The 4z aren't really easy to drive despite the marketing. They require a lot of current which Class A does best. I don't listen to my 4z without EQ. The 4z takes EQ like a champ and you can push them really hard without causing distortion. I don't particularly like the stock tuning - so we're in the same boat if you choose to go the no EQ route. There is usually a peak around 1khz that find annoying which could be the glare you're hearing. This is further emphasised by the 4khz dip and the high contrast which is caused by 10khz and 16khz peaks. The 4z is far from perfect but few headphones take EQ so well like the 4z and LCD4.

Your head shape might not be a good fit if your pair keeps slipping. I've also found that the looser the fit, the more open they sound and a tighter fit will result in a thicker more intimate presentation. Where your ear sits in the cup is also important. I prefer the ear to sit further back in the cup as this gives a more relaxed sound. If your ear sits further forward in the cup this should result in a more direct immediate sound because your ear is closer to the driver. It's worth experimenting to get the right position but appreciate the 4z might not be what you're looking for.

Thank you for the input. For my amp, I’m currently using a Hifiman Prelude that runs 10W@32Ohms, so I believe the headphones are getting more than enough power given their impedance. The amp is neutral to warm, which also might cause some of the boxed-in sound I’m getting from these. I’ve run it off of my MacBook with a dongle dac (Helm Audio Bolt) and the sound was thinned, but the sonic signature was maintained. I really, really wanted to like these, but I need to send them back before the return window closes and am left with a pair of headphones I will regret buying.
I’d like to thank you all for your input and will revert if anything changes or with what these will be replaced with.

 

[Pr0ject2500]

Contact them before you do anything, they might offer a solution. Their support is great!

I thought I’d give this a try and have sent @Audeze an email regarding the sound and the encasement. I just hope they’re able to get back to me before my return window closes. Thank you for the tip!

 

[Pr0ject2500]

Contact them before you do anything, they might offer a solution. Their support is great!

 

[Pr0ject2500]

As mentioned before, I wrote @Audeze three days ago (if not more) and have still received no response. Not sure if the email was lost among the many I’m sure they receive or if it was simply deemed unimportant. I’ ve decided to send the headphones back and will be swapping them out for a pair of Hifiman HE1000SE along with a Burson Voyager. I found this situation to be frustrating and disappointing especially given how much the LCD 4Z cost. I will definitely approach Audeze headphones with a bit more trepidation going forward. Again, thank you all for chiming in.