funny that you say that, as I did pick up a pair from a head-fi'er just this month! lol
But even then, the LCD-4 can do things those cannot. The 1266 TC's can extend deeper into the sub bass (almost like having a subwoofer in the room which is cool), but if you want something to shake the earwax in your ears, they can't do it either. The 4's are unique in that way in my experience. Special, even. The LCD-5's are *also* special and I will absolutely need to have a pair. But the 4's are special in a way that is good for my most common genres. But I'm going to need a pair of 5's for all the other genres.
Running stock, the LCD-5 will have much quieter bass than the LCD-4 and other headphones due to the actual mid presence in the 5. This is what most listeners are hearing when they compare the two headphones. Add the fact that the LCD-5 has harder pads which may form a less perfect seal than the softer LCD-4 pads, and you have a recipe for lower bass perception upon first listen, even though the drivers are almost identical in real performance. Anyone complaining about the LCD-5 bass has not used EQ, and likely wont.
The LCD-5 isn't tuned to have the same bass emphasis the LCD-4 has, so the 5's stock tuning may seem underwhelming to bass heads.
However as others have stated... the quality of the LCD-5 bass is far superior to the 4. And with some EQ the 5 can have as much bass quantity as you want. Anyone feeling the 5 "lacks bass" should try either Resolve/Chrono's EQ, or a simple bass shelf, and listen again.
I loved my LCD-4, but there's no way it's "better" than the 5. The 5 has more detail, impact, clarity... it's just better in every way.
The LCD-4 and 5 have almost identical tuning up to 1khz, that is to say, almost ruler flat. The louder mids on the 5 force the listener to turn down the volume when making a comparison, which gives the impression of less bass.
But I do agree, the LCD-5 is better in every way. The LCD-3, x, 4 and variants all sound vailed, dull, and wonky in comparison.
Running stock, the LCD-5 will have much quieter bass than the LCD-4 and other headphones due to the actual mid presence in the 5. This is what most listeners are hearing when they compare the two headphones. Add the fact that the LCD-5 has harder pads which may form a less perfect seal than the softer LCD-4 pads, and you have a recipe for lower bass perception upon first listen, even though the drivers are almost identical in real performance. Anyone complaining about the LCD-5 bass has not used EQ, and likely wont.
While it is absolutely true that the LCD-5's forwardness means you will generally run them at lower volume levels, EQ is the solution to that. I've run every EQ under the sun from Resolve's to random ones people post here and elsewhere, to my own variants of them. The 5's are just not capable of as the same quantity of bass regardless of EQ. Their quality is absolutely more than a match and better in many ways. But quantity? There's just no way to simulate the quantity or impact of bass that an EQ'd LCD-4 can provide. It's literally impossible and it becomes very clear as you increase volume. If you try to match the LCD-4 bass experience at medium-high or high volume, you will hit the distortion wall sooner on the 5s than you do on the 4's. The 4's start rumbling where the 5's start splatting. If I were to give it an estimate, I'd say that the 4's can handle maybe 25% more volume before distorting and the confident, earthquake-like rumble you get along the way is nutty.
If an EQ'd 5 could match the bass of an EQ'd 4, I assure you I would have found it by now (I've had these LCD-5's since November) and would be celebrating it because that's what I was hoping for out of them. And they indeed are right there for low and mid volume levels and for most genres. But for my genres and for movies? I hear the difference every time. It's a visceral experience and it's an undeniable difference. The only question is whether or not you listen to things where that visceral experience comes into play, and whether it is important enough to you to supersede all the pros that the 5's offer. YMMV.
While it is absolutely true that the LCD-5's forwardness means you will generally run them at lower volume levels, EQ is the solution to that. I've run every EQ under the sun from Resolve's to random ones people post here and elsewhere, to my own variants of them. The 5's are just not capable of as the same quantity of bass regardless of EQ. Their quality is absolutely more than a match and better in many ways. But quantity? There's just no way to simulate the quantity or impact of bass that an EQ'd LCD-4 can provide. It's literally impossible and it becomes very clear as you increase volume. If you try to match the LCD-4 bass experience at medium-high or high volume, you will hit the distortion wall sooner on the 5s than you do on the 4's. The 4's start rumbling where the 5's start splatting. If I were to give it an estimate, I'd say that the 4's can handle maybe 25% more volume before distorting and the confident, earthquake-like rumble you get along the way is nutty.
If an EQ'd 5 could match the bass of an EQ'd 4, I assure you I would have found it by now (I've had these LCD-5's since November) and would be celebrating it because that's what I was hoping for out of them. And they indeed are right there for low and mid volume levels and for most genres. But for my genres and for movies? I hear the difference every time. It's a visceral experience and it's an undeniable difference. The only question is whether or not you listen to things where that visceral experience comes into play, and whether it is important enough to you to supersede all the pros that the 5's offer. YMMV.
Can you put a sealed SPL meter to your headphones when you reach this distortion volume? I have absolutely no idea how you can get either headphone to distort at non ear-bleeding levels of sound. And as far as I am concerned, what you are describing is completely irrelevant unless you plan on making your headphone double as a laptop speaker. I couldn't get the LCD-4 to distort, and I cannot get the LCD-5 to distort, at least when playing bass heavy music on my head. I certainly would not recommend anyone even testing this out for the sake of their hearing.
If you try to match the LCD-4 bass experience at medium-high or high volume, you will hit the distortion wall sooner on the 5s than you do on the 4's. The 4's start rumbling where the 5's start splatting. If I were to give it an estimate, I'd say that the 4's can handle maybe 25% more volume before distorting and the confident, earthquake-like rumble you get along the way is nutty.
I think they are using EQ to turn the bass up ~20db on bass heavy tracks. Without having an SPL meter handy, I'm not sure how they are making any conclusions either.
OK.. solved it. The Singxer came with a 2 PIN plug which I used an adaptor to convert to UK 3 PIN plug. No earth. I swapped the mains cable to a UK supplied mains lead with a three PIN plug on which is earthed. Resolved. Actually sounds a bit better as well. Phew! Thanks to all who chimed in.
Mine hums too, neither iFi Groundhog or iDefender help. I have a Mac mini -> USB with iFi iDefender -> Chord Hugo M Scaler -> Chord Hugo TT 2 -> LCD-5, stacked Mac on top of the TT2 and HMS on the bottom.
Could you elaborate in more detail what exactly you did?
@KMann Any ideas? The Mac mini seems the culprit; if I touch the Mac i get hum, but not if I touch the HMS/TT2. Even if I plug the HMS to my laptop (so the Mac isn't connected at all other than physically sitting on top of the TT2), touching the Mac will still hum the headphones. Like others, the hum changes if I sit or move around or move the cable, and definitely if I touch the Mac mini.
I'm not a big fan of EQ, I do use Audeze's Reveal with Roon however. I believe the difference in bass has to do with the slower decay of the 4. It gives it's bass a fuller sound. I prefer the tonality of the 4 over the 5. Which one is technically superior doesn't really matter to me. I listen to music not headphones. Meaning I simply pick the one I enjoy more. No knock on the 5, it just isn't my favorite tuning.
Mine hums too, neither iFi Groundhog or iDefender help. I have a Mac mini -> USB with iFi iDefender -> Chord Hugo M Scaler -> Chord Hugo TT 2 -> LCD-5, stacked Mac on top of the TT2 and HMS on the bottom.
Could you elaborate in more detail what exactly you did?
@KMann Any ideas? The Mac mini seems the culprit; if I touch the Mac i get hum, but not if I touch the HMS/TT2. Even if I plug the HMS to my laptop (so the Mac isn't connected at all other than physically sitting on top of the TT2), touching the Mac will still hum the headphones. Like others, the hum changes if I sit or move around or move the cable, and definitely if I touch the Mac mini.
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