[Decreate]

@eagle Wings, with the LPG, do you have the standard version or the Diana edition. I recently listened to the i4 in Hong Kong with my Sony 1Z with 4.4 out and I have to crank it up to 110/120 on the volume pot. The volume seems to be enough but I felt the soundstage of the i4 is not fully open up. For instance, I felt I can hear the size of the sound stage (left and right) which gives me a sense of soundstage limitation, I also tried the Hugo2 and it is a little bit better. Compare to my Lab2, there is no limit or definition on the size of the soundstage, music will just float outward until it dies or decay naturally without giving a sense of the size. I wonder to myself whether the i4 can do it with more power or more voltage as they say that is what planner needs, more voltage and not wattage. I am interested in the i4 but did not want to add an additional piece (Hugo2) to my travel. I have the LPG Diana addition, but my go to Dap at the moment is the 1Z, will your eq setting works in the 1Z? Thanks.

That was my initial impression as well but it seemed to have improved after about 200 - 300hrs of use with the wm1z. Would have liked to try the eq setting as well but the frequencies specified doesn’t seem to be the ones available for tweaking on the wm1z.

 

[Jalo]

@Decreate, thanks and good to know that it will improve after burn in but I wonder even with improvement, how much am I really using the full potential of the i4 on the 1Z? I also drive my Utopia with my 1Z and felt it can get up to 75% to 80% of it’s full potential. I hate to buy the i4 and use only half of its full potential if I only use it in my portable set up.

 

[Decreate]

@Decreate, thanks and good to know that it will improve after burn in but I wonder even with improvement, how much am I really using the full potential of the i4 on the 1Z? I also drive my Utopia with my 1Z and felt it can get up to 75% to 80% of it’s full potential. I hate to buy the i4 and use only half of its full potential if I only use it in my portable set up.

I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to answer this as I’ve never really thought in that sort of way. I usually just try stuff and if it sounds good to me then I’ll get it if it’s something I can afford. So far I’ve been using the i4 everyday with my wm1z. Whether it was indoors, outdoors, train rides or even on flights the lack of isolation didn’t seem to bother me much.

 

[lithiumnk]

the lack of isolation didn’t seem to bother me much.

I have the same opinion.

 

[EagleWings]

@eagle Wings, with the LPG, do you have the standard version or the Diana edition. I have the LPG Diana.

Jalo, mine is the regular LPG. Any version of LPG should have no problem driving the i4. I am at 25/75 on the volume on HighGain. LPG has an intimate stage. So i4's stage on LPG may not be too large like on a Hugo 2.

I recently listened to the i4 in Hong Kong with my Sony 1Z with 4.4 out and I have to crank it up to 110/120 on the volume pot. The volume seems to be enough but I felt the soundstage of the i4 is not fully open up. For instance, I felt I can hear the size of the sound stage (left and right) which gives me a sense of soundstage limitation, I also tried the Hugo2 and it is a little bit better. Compare to my Lab2, there is no limit or definition on the size of the soundstage, music will just float outward until it dies or decay naturally without giving a sense of the size. I wonder to myself whether the i4 can do it with more power or more voltage as they say that is what planner needs, more voltage and not wattage.

I remember reading an article where the author said, one of the nice things about the LabII is that it is not power hungry. i4 on the other hand, does not fall under too-easy-to-drive category. When you tried the i4, was it on SE or 4.4 BAL? The SE of 1Z may be underpowered for the i4, as the SE outputs only a measly 60mW for a 16Ohm load. While the 4.4 BAL outputs 250mW for the same load. And you could be right. The planar driver in the i4 probably needs more current for optimum operation.

but my go to Dap at the moment is the 1Z, will your eq setting works in the 1Z? Thanks.

In order to simulate 1Z's EQ, I tried the following EQ on my LPG and it worked just fine:
63Hz: +3dB
4kHz: +5dB
8kHz: -4dB
16kHz: -5dB

Without cutting the 8kHz, the 10kHz peak is a bit prominent. But cutting 8kHz down, cuts down a bit of lower treble 7-9kHz. So it depends on the individuals preference on how much they want to cut the 8kHz down.

 

[EagleWings]

Re: discussion on impedance matching between amp and phones... I never really considered that but will pay more attention in the future. Looking at getting a Chord Hugo TT or else a Schiit Yggy/Rag combo but leaning more towards the TT at this time. Have the Mojo for going mobile with Note 8 so good there. Assumption being that all phones and amps would just naturally be compatible and maybe not so.

My apologies if I caused panic regarding the 'impedance mismatch' subject. Impedance mismatch is not really that common. I have seen measurements of Mojo's performance under load and it is quite linear. Hugo TT should also have no problem on that front.

Impedance mismatch is usually a case when someone tries to use IEMs on desktop amps that have high output impedance or, they try to pair a demanding headphone with a weak amp. As long as you are not doing that you should be fine. But there is certainly no harm in trying to figure out first hand if the headphone works fine with the source you are planning to buy.

 

[Jalo]

EagleWings, I tried the i4 with 4.4 out on my 1Z and I worry that it may not have enough juice. Thanks for the EQ setting I will try them out.

 

[Decreate]

Jalo, mine is the regular LPG. Any version of LPG should have no problem driving the i4. I am at 25/75 on the volume on HighGain. LPG has an intimate stage. So i4's stage on LPG may not be too large like on a Hugo 2.



I remember reading an article where the author said, one of the nice things about the LabII is that it is not power hungry. i4 on the other hand, does not fall under too-easy-to-drive category. When you tried the i4, was it on SE or 4.4 BAL? The SE of 1Z may be underpowered for the i4, as the SE outputs only a measly 60mW for a 16Ohm load. While the 4.4 BAL outputs 250mW for the same load. And you could be right. The planar driver in the i4 probably needs more current for optimum operation.



In order to simulate 1Z's EQ, I tried the following EQ on my LPG and it worked just fine:
63Hz: +3dB
4kHz: +5dB
8kHz: -4dB
16kHz: -5dB

Without cutting the 8kHz, the 10kHz peak is a bit prominent. But cutting 8kHz down, cuts down a bit of lower treble 7-9kHz. So it depends on the individuals preference on how much they want to cut the 8kHz down.

Thanks for the EQ settings, have been trying it out on the WM1Z and really liking it.

 

[SilverEars]

iSine20 sounded the best out the LPG, especially with Headwacker's PEQ settings. Based on what we've seen of the graphs, the frequency response curve were similar to i4's

From Headwacker:


FilterGroupGain
-12dB
Filter1
100.0Hz/+6dB/LSF/1
Filter2
1550Hz/-7dB/BPF/1.0
Filter3
4500Hz/+12dB/BPF/1.0
Filter4
11000Hz/-7dB/BPF/1.0
Filter5
13000Hz/+5dB/HSF/1.0

 

[EagleWings]

EagleWings, I tried the i4 with 4.4 out on my 1Z and I worry that it may not have enough juice. Thanks for the EQ setting I will try them out.

Ah, I see. But I can assure you that LPG drives i4 with authority. Only drawback is, LPG's stage is a bit intimate.

 

[EagleWings]

Thanks for the EQ settings, have been trying it out on the WM1Z and really liking it.

I am glad you like it. Btw, how does the i4 sound on 1Z's SE? I am receiving the 1Z tomorrow but don't have a Balanced cable to try the 4.4mm.

 

[Decreate]

I am glad you like it. Btw, how does the i4 sound on 1Z's SE? I am receiving the 1Z tomorrow but don't have a Balanced cable to try the 4.4mm.

I only tried it once out of SE and found it to be extremely underpowered for i4. I pretty much switched to one of my other 4.4mm cables afterwards while having the stock cable re-terminated with a 4.4mm plug.

 

[eugene2]

Here is one of the best kept secrets in portable audio VorzAmp Duo II $799.00 retail, phenomenal will make the LCD i4 sing and has a touch of EQ if you so desire. It is worth a listen even in combination with the Mojo (Use A&K 320, Mojo, VorzAmp as my portable)
http://vorzuge.com/product/eqduoii/
This review is right on point:
https://www.headfonia.com/review-vorzuge-vorzamp-duoii-basses-loaded/
Tried it with my Campfire Andromeda, JH Audio 16 pro, Roxannes, Campfire Jupiters, Noble X's, my friends LCDi4, my Focal Elear and HE1000 V2 and bought it!
Two inexpensive desktops that I use Cavalli Liquid Carbon, which definitely has a warmish house sound and a Rupert Neves amp which is a very, very neutral amp that can compete with the big boys. I'm using it with a PS Audio Directstream and an Antipodes DX server, sublime.
If you try the VorzAmp and LCD i4 try it with Macy Gray "Stripped" first track Annabelle, one of the best tracks for soundstage width, opening guitar is way outside your left ear, the LCD i4 stomped everything in ear on this track.
Enough said, I do not post much on this site but wanted to recommend these two hidden jewels Rupert Neves and VorzAmp...

 

[EagleWings]

I only tried it once out of SE and found it to be extremely underpowered for i4. I pretty much switched to one of my other 4.4mm cables afterwards while having the stock cable re-terminated with a 4.4mm plug.

Gotcha, thank you.

 

[Solarium]

If you use a desktop software or a Neutron Player on Android that have fully featured PMEQ, try this:

Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 60Hz, Q = 1, Gain = +3dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 1,600Hz, Q = 3, Gain = -3dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 2,800Hz, Q = 1.5, Gain = +6dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 5,500Hz, Q = 0.8, Gain = +3dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 10,300Hz, Q = 2, Gain = -6dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 16,000Hz, Q = 1, Gain = -4dB

If you have a Lotoo Paw Gold you cannot adjust Q greater than 1, so here is what I use:

Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 60Hz, Q = 1, Gain = +3dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 2,800Hz, Q = 1, Gain = +5dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 5,500Hz, Q = 1, Gain = +3dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 10,300Hz, Q = 1, Gain = -6dB
Filter = Band Pass, Freq = 16,000Hz, Q = 1, Gain = -4dB

As for the 10,300Hz filter, try to adjust the Frequency from 10,000Hz to 10,700Hz until you don't hear the treble peak. If you are tolerant to treble, this peak shouldn't bother you.

Great advice! I'll be using the Equalizer APO with Peace extension, so will be using the top configuration. Are these generally the most used settings or is it based on personal preference?