[commtrd]

Hello
I am using sp 1000 cu with lcd i4. Both balanced & unbalanced out are way better than cipher cable. Cipher cable has accurate tonality with meatier low end. If you are in the market to buy new DAP... wait for Cayin N8 ....it has some serious power via both tube & SS out.... btw my sp1000 also drives them with ease..but as you know lcd i4 really loves raw power ... i am using violectric v281 amp & the bass slam, dynamics are amazing with lcd i4.....
You can also try ibasso dx 200 with AMP8....
Best of luck.

Very true! The i4 scales very well with increased power. 4z does too. Don't let the low input impedance fool you. They will hungrily suck up all the power you can feed 'em. But still work great with only moderate power i.e. DAP, iPhone, Mojo, etc.

 

[JLoud]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping. Now just to decide which dap to pickup.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Very true! The i4 scales very well with increased power. 4z does too. Don't let the low input impedance fool you. They will hungrily suck up all the power you can feed 'em. But still work great with only moderate power i.e. DAP, iPhone, Mojo, etc.

Agreed. Listening to Ann Wilson's new album "Immortal" now with the LCDi4 and the Hugo 2 and they certainly respond to moar powa! These in-ears sound absolutely stunning with this combination! For a portable setup, this rivals some of the very best desktop setups I've heard through the years!

 

[rodel808]

My favorite way of listening to my i4... Over bluetooth (ldac), balanced connected with Radsone EarStudio (R&B eq preset) + LG V35. I still can't believe the kind of sound coming out of this little thing.

 

[lithiumnk]

My favorite way of listening to my i4... Over bluetooth (ldac), balanced connected with Radsone EarStudio (R&B eq preset) + LG V35. I still can't believe the kind of sound coming out of this little thing.

I agree with you. They are indeed mini LCD 4.

I only have LCD i4 for my portable and desktop setup. I had tried both LCD 4 & utopia but the upgrade they offered was very minimal.
I was thinking of going towards the electrostat territory...
Can you briefly compare stax 007 with LCD i4? I know it's like comparing apple and oranges but still to have some idea..
I dont have the facility to audition Stax 007.
Thanks

 

[normie610]

I'm debating picking up a new Astell & Kern player and was wondering about opinions on sound versus Cipher cable. I currently use the cipher cable with my iphone 7 but I am curious about going with stock cable out of the A&K. I have a A&K junior and the cipher definitely sounds better. But was wondering about a higher end player's output. I know the i4 scales well, I tried it with my Woo WA5le, and it really opened up. Just not sure if the better dap's are a step up from the cipher. Opinions?

Just to chime in a bit, IMO the i4 w/ cipher cable on iPhone X or iPod touch can get close to the sound out of my i4 pairing w/ 1Z (I say it can go perhaps 85-90% of 1Z). Just to note, I EQ’d my 1Z w/ the i4 to give it a very similar tonality with cipher cable and Audeze plugin for Audirvana plus for my desktop. Of course the 1Z is superior since it sounds more natural, expansive with better layering and separation. But indeed, cipher cable is sooo good, it’s the go to cable for me when I go cycling with my i4

But I have no experience with A&K so YMMV.

 

[Slim1970]

Just to chime in a bit, IMO the i4 w/ cipher cable on iPhone X or iPod touch can get close to the sound out of my i4 pairing w/ 1Z (I say it can go perhaps 85-90% of 1Z). Just to note, I EQ’d my 1Z w/ the i4 to give it a very similar tonality with cipher cable and Audeze plugin for Audirvana plus for my desktop. Of course the 1Z is superior since it sounds more natural, expansive with better layering and separation. But indeed, cipher cable is sooo good, it’s the go to cable for me when I go cycling with my i4

But I have no experience with A&K so YMMV.

I'm starting to prefer the Cipher cable more and more to my custom copper litz and stock cables. Not only is it convenient but it sounds really, really good with outstanding dynamics and punch with Apple products. I'm sold as well.

 

[commtrd]

I'm starting to prefer the Cipher cable more and more to my custom copper litz and stock cables. Not only is it convenient but it sounds really, really good with outstanding dynamics and punch with Apple products. I'm sold as well.

Would try a cipher cable but have sworn off Apple products for life. No similar solution for android so relegated to enjoying i4 on normal chain. Sounds sublime to say the least. Shame Audeze does not make something available for android peeps too.

 

[commtrd]

A-B with i4 and 4z is simply amazing. I am still blown away by how good these i4 sound even compared to 4z.
In fact, the i4 may even have just a tad bit more bass quantity than the 4z. I guess I am stuck in the past with the pre-fazor LCD3 and the incredible lush sweet mids and bass those phones had. I so miss that...
However, they also did not render detail in the treble region as well as I would have preferred thus the X came along. So i4 and 4z are both unbelievably awesome, but neither has the bass rendering of the old LCD3pf. LCD-X almost does, but does not quite get the detail and air / instrumental separation of i4 or 4z.

Having said that, it really is nit-picking to go on about this because the i4 and the 4z are both world-class headphones IMHO. I kinda thought the Solvine cable with copper in it might enhance the bass region some (4z) but the i4 with pure silver Therium has beautiful bass / mids too so there's that.

 

[Slim1970]

Would try a cipher cable but have sworn off Apple products for life. No similar solution for android so relegated to enjoying i4 on normal chain. Sounds sublime to say the least. Shame Audeze does not make something available for android peeps too.

Hopefully Audeze can make that happen. The Cipher cable on the i4's is awesome. The new Mobius uses a USB-C cable. So maybe, just maybe Audeze is making some strides in that direction.

 

[DarginMahkum]

Hi all! I was a sound-wise happy owner of KSE1500 since January and from the SQ and tuning point of view I was extremely happy. But I wanted to have another TOTL IEM (?) as I find the cable very stiff and I was not very happy about the fit (the shape of the shell was not very optimal for my ear). So, I traded/sold them and I am in the market for a new thing.

I don't have many options around me to try but just reading the forums etc. I think my two candidates are i4 and the EE Legend X (I like hearing detailed bass, especially on jazz tunes). I will most probably go for i4 but wanted to check with you once more.

Is there anyone who can compare the 3? My source will be a Hugo2.

The second question is, would the Ciper cable work with a USB 3.1 -> Lightning bridge (if there is any), as I am an Android user, or is there a way to use it?

Cheers

 

[stmiller]

My first post in this amazing thread..

Isine 10/20 user.. (i4 soon)

Spinfits CP155 convert isines to iems instead of the ieh's they were designed as.
The bullet shape gives very good isolation, however you're giving up so much soundstage and bass it's quite unbelievable when you go back to the large bore groovy or regular stock tips.

Iem mode = cp155
Ieh mode = large bore stock tips.

I'll hopefully be getting the i4 soon. It's been a pleasure reading through this thread.

Thanks to all of you guys for contributing.

Kudos Audeze, really, if my I20's are anything to go by i really can't imagine how the sound can possibly get much better..

 

[bizkit]

Hi all! I was a sound-wise happy owner of KSE1500 since January and from the SQ and tuning point of view I was extremely happy. But I wanted to have another TOTL IEM (?) as I find the cable very stiff and I was not very happy about the fit (the shape of the shell was not very optimal for my ear). So, I traded/sold them and I am in the market for a new thing.

I don't have many options around me to try but just reading the forums etc. I think my two candidates are i4 and the EE Legend X (I like hearing detailed bass, especially on jazz tunes). I will most probably go for i4 but wanted to check with you once more.

Is there anyone who can compare the 3? My source will be a Hugo2.

The second question is, would the Ciper cable work with a USB 3.1 -> Lightning bridge (if there is any), as I am an Android user, or is there a way to use it?

Cheers

The LCDi4 is an interesting and wonderful beast, but they will disappoint when compared to the kse if jazz is your chosen music selection. Outside sound stage and bass, I can’t think of anything short of a properly driven 009 or 007 that will keep up with the kse’s technical capabilities. After some mandatory tip and ear hook rolling, plus 200 or so hours of play time, the LCDi4 opens up spectacularly. However, they will never have the detail retrieval of the kse’s. If you can appear that and have an amp with s bit power to drive them, then be prepared to sit back and get lost the music. The sound stage and bass impact blow the kse out of the water. They express their talents with a far greater range music when critical listening isn’t the absolute goal. Give yourself a month with them and you may find it difficult to move back to a normal iem.
The LCDi4’s do have their faults, but I find myself grabbing them 80% of the time and enjoying crappy iTunes downloads via the iPad and Hugo 2.

 

[DarginMahkum]

They express their talents with a far greater range music when critical listening isn’t the absolute goal. Give yourself a month with them and you may find it difficult to move back to a normal iem.
The LCDi4’s do have their faults, but I find myself grabbing them 80% of the time and enjoying crappy iTunes downloads via the iPad and Hugo 2.

Thanks a lot for your comments. Yesterday I found a good offer from the shop I got my Hugo2 from and ordered the LCD-i4. Hopefully I will have them in my ears on Friday!

 

[commtrd]

I constantly swap back and forth from my i4 to 4z, and find they are both just excellent headphones. I do tend to utilize the i4 to listen to webinars, video, and of course streaming or recorded red book etc. While the 4z I will get deep into music and meditation, binaural, trance, etc. They are such high quality detailed and beautifully staged instrumentally located renditions it is just mind blowing the musicality and not coldly analytical. Of course the i4 can be (and is) put to work similarly at times as well. Such is the good fortune of having both headphones. Surprisingly the i4 is right up there with 4z for overall musical compositional rendering and ambiance. Pretty much amazing it can do this. The only caveat being there is no isolation at all, so if that be requisite then other alternatives may be necessary.