[EagleWings]

I posted this in WM1A but probably best try my luck here. I've tried the i4 and initially I disliked them but the more I try it the more I see their merit. I was thinking of pairing the i4 exclusively with i4, sadly could never pair it with wm1a 4 balance, is there any user which happen to own both and is willing to share their experience, i thank you in advance.

I only tried it on SE with my 1Z and High Gain and I loved the pairing. In fact, I preferred the 1Z over LPG. I can't comment on the tonal synergy between the 1A and i4, but from a power requirement perspective, the Sony DAP should not have any problem driving the i4, especially on 4.4 BAL as I was only on 50/120 on the volume setting. But some users did comment that they felt that their Sony DAP was not powerful enough to drive the i4 even on 4.4mm. So it could depend on the volume level of your recordings as well as the volume level at which you listen to music.

@flinkenick is using his 1Z to drive the i4 as well and he is liking it. If you are fine with using EQ, you could also ask him for his EQ setting and use it as a baseline and then adjust it per your preference.

 

[Decreate]

I'm using the i4 with the 1Z 4.4mm balanced on high gain with EQ and find that it sounds great. Listening at 80/120 most of the time.

 

[sorrick]

Ok, so here’s my predicament. At the office, my usual setup is streaming Tidal hifi our of my iPhone X via cck to my Hugo2 to the i4s. I’d really like to add eq, either through the reveal plugin or through a parametric eq per @kmann’s reccomendations. Unfortunately, as has been previously discussed, there are no real options for EQing Tidal on iOS (captune is the only app I know that allows eq for Tidal, and it’s interface is so terrible as to be unusable). I can’t load any programs on my work computer, so I can go through that and lugging my personal laptop with me to work every day sucks.

So, I’m considering buying an android dap (like a pioneer xdr-300), which would let me run an eq over Tidal and into i4s. Will this definitely be able to run eq on the tidal stream? Is getting some kind of android player my best way to accomplish what I’m trying to do if I don’t want to run Tidal off a laptop? Are there any android apps folks have used with the reveal plugins?

 

[AlwaysForward]

Ok, so here’s my predicament. At the office, my usual setup is streaming Tidal hifi our of my iPhone X via cck to my Hugo2 to the i4s. I’d really like to add eq, either through the reveal plugin or through a parametric eq per @kmann’s reccomendations. Unfortunately, as has been previously discussed, there are no real options for EQing Tidal on iOS (captune is the only app I know that allows eq for Tidal, and it’s interface is so terrible as to be unusable). I can’t load any programs on my work computer, so I can go through that and lugging my personal laptop with me to work every day sucks.

So, I’m considering buying an android dap (like a pioneer xdr-300), which would let me run an eq over Tidal and into i4s. Will this definitely be able to run eq on the tidal stream? Is getting some kind of android player my best way to accomplish what I’m trying to do if I don’t want to run Tidal off a laptop? Are there any android apps folks have used with the reveal plugins?

Cipher with iPod Touch is your best bet.

Android doesn’t have the a player with plug/play Reveal compatibly. Android does have some native FLAC players which allow you to tune the curve like Cipher but then you’re back to not using tidal.

 

[7onyMustDive]

Currently, is there a solution to have both:
-Tidal Masters MQA
-Roon EQ presets for LCDi4
?

This is on a computer of course.

 

[KMann]

Currently, is there a solution to have both:
-Tidal Masters MQA
-Roon EQ presets for LCDi4
?

This is on a computer of course.

This may be better answered on the Roon forum. But here is my understanding. A DSP cannot be inserted before the MQA decoding happens as the DSP would potentially destroy the MQA coded information before it can be decoded by a MQA capable DAC. However, if Roon starts to do Software decoding of MQA, then the presets can be added after the software decoding before it is sent to the DAC.

It comes down to what you prefer more. 1. The improvement you get through the upsampling performed by the MQA decoding that happens in the DAC, 2. The effect of the presets with software upsampling done by Roon and 3. Software decoding done by Roon followed by presets.

Note option 3 is not available and it is speculated in the Roon forums that this would happen at some point.

 

[7onyMustDive]

Other than the Cipher cable since I will obviously get that for the iphone, for the computer is the EQ adjustments really that necessary to get best sound from the LCDi4? Without EQ adjustments is it still that amazing of an TOTL iem/headphone?

Like for the Xelento, Tia, ie800s, SE846, etc. I rarely hear of EQ talk, but on the LCDi4 there's a lot of talk about EQ presets so I'm worried if it's almost a must.

 

[AlwaysForward]

Other than the Cipher cable since I will obviously get that for the iphone, for the computer is the EQ adjustments really that necessary to get best sound from the LCDi4? Without EQ adjustments is it still that amazing of an TOTL iem/headphone?

Like for the Xelento, Tia, ie800s, SE846, etc. I rarely hear of EQ talk, but on the LCDi4 there's a lot of talk about EQ presets so I'm worried if it's almost a must.

Something to consider is that the LCD-i4 and every other LCD model launched without DSP to rave reviews. If you read through the early thread, people loved it and said it was basically incredible as is. Leaps beyond XYZ comparison.

The DSP thing is interesting. It's great that they offer it but it seems to create some consumer confusion around it being "needed" vs "nice to have built by the manufacturer"

There are products like Sonarworks which do the same thing for your other headphones, but since the EQ-curves are not from Beyer, etc, people don't talk about them as much.

LCD products are great without EQ. They always have been and historic reviews/discussions show that. Audeze is pushing the state of the art forward by implementing DSP into their lineup as part of the product.

Also, planar magnetic designs respond especially well to EQ since they have such low distortion. EQ on other cans can introduce distortion depending on driver performance while these are putty.

 

[7onyMustDive]

Having a problem with you i4s sucks but Audeze will take care of you, I have no doubt there.

When I initially got my i4s, I also kind of wished that the entire housing was made of magnesium rather than having the plastic on the back. But I soon realized that the i4s are plenty robust and that if they were fully metal, they would likely weigh more, which would make them less comfortable to wear. The plastic is more robust than you think. I have accidentally gotten my i4 cable stuck on my office chair arm while standing up, which pulled the i4s out of my ears and onto the hard floor. Believe me there was quite a number of 4 letter words exclaimed and a huge amount of anxiety that they’d be broken. They were fine. I also haven’t seen any reports over in the isine thread of anyone’s lower plastic housing breaking and they seem to be the same part.

As for the cable, my stock cables are in there VERY snuggly. I wonder if some who have had issues with the cables falling out are maybe not fully seated them into place. Getting the stock cable fully into place required more force than I initially thought...I at first did not have my cables in all the way, and had to use more force to get the cable seated fully into the earphone. Once they were in there all the way, they have been very firmly seated ever since.

What part of the housing of the LCDi4 is made of magnesium then? the eartip part or the grill part? I saw Audeze replied "The top and middle housing are made of magnesium. The bottom housing is plastic.". What does that exactly mean? I thought the LCDi4 housing was basically 2 pieces, front (eartip nozzle face) and back (grill, A logo face). Could you specific exactly what housing regions are plastic or magnesium?

 

[sorrick]

What part of the housing of the LCDi4 is made of magnesium then? the eartip part or the grill part? I saw Audeze replied "The top and middle housing are made of magnesium. The bottom housing is plastic.". What does that exactly mean? I thought the LCDi4 housing was basically 2 pieces, front (eartip nozzle face) and back (grill, A logo face). Could you specific exactly what housing regions are plastic or magnesium?

The grill, surrounds and outward facing parts of the housing are magnesium. The eartube on which the ear tips sit on (the part that goes toward/in your ear) is plastic.

 

[nogi replicant]

I currently use them with the PW Audio 1960 4 wire and find that it provides me with a better base sound from which I could eq. using the Sony wm1z.

I tried a number of cables with the i4 on Friday (leonidis, lionheart, venom, red core) when one of the good lads from Music Sanctuary was over here in Sydney for a small trip. all sounded great, liked the Leo the best I think............but then tried the 1960's 4 wire........my poor wallet.

 

[lithiumnk]

I tried a number of cables with the i4 on Friday (leonidis, lionheart, venom, red core) when one of the good lads from Music Sanctuary was over here in Sydney for a small trip. all sounded great, liked the Leo the best I think............but then tried the 1960's 4 wire........my poor wallet.

Can you compare sound signature of Lionheart & PWaudio 1960 4 wire? I know there is a huge difference between their price.
I am thinking of buying Lionheart for my Lcd i4 .
Thanks

 

[Shmuel]

I would likewise like to see this comparison.

Thanks ahead of time to anyone contributing.

 

[Cougar2465]

I’ve had this for 4 days now and it’s amazing. I get to listen to this anywhere. Laying in bed with this i4 is amazing while with my utopia, they’re a bit too big
One question though, I didn’t get the clear ear hook but only got 2 black hooks. Shouldn’t it come with the clear hook as well?
Also the Shop I bought it from in SYdney hasn’t got the chiper cable yet.

 

[7onyMustDive]

I just bought the LCDi4! finally decided.

-wanted to try a "different" totl iem that people say sound like headphones
-with the cipher cable I get a mic to talk on my phone!
-I love the look!
-Audeze customer service has been incredibly good and fast compared other bigger brands

Now I heard buyers can contact customer service for a free Cipher cable v2? is this true?