[navysteve232]

Hi guys, i', considering getting an LCDi4 since i could use something more portable for office use with a chord mojo and around the house with a cipher cable,but i hate iems (only the airpods pro i can stand).The open nature isn't a problem if it doesn't leak too much sound but i'm kinda worried about the need for EQ. I'm considering a Dave later on for my MDR Z1R's and when at home i'd probably use them with the dave as well,but since they require EQ it kinda defeats the purpose of a reference dac.I stream tidal excluisively so i'd need to get Audirvana or something for the Audeze plugin as well,and tbh i prefer the tidal desktop app. Has anyone compared the LCDi4's with the cipher cable from an Iphone vs a Mojo for example?I know a lot of people use the Hugo 2 and i'm curious how much of a step up that would be from a mojo. Also Audeze seems to have reliability issues,i read that some users here had problems as well.How concerned should i be?

If you don’t like iems be careful these have large ear nozzels (7mm instead of 5mm) and are kind of finicky to get seated right. Sound is amazing, plug in is absolutely annoying af if you use Spotify or Apple Music at all. Cypher cable for iPhone is ok but makes them sound like 500$ headphones. I don’t want to be negative I absolutely love mine but realistically they are not an easy plug n play solution for everywhere, they are pretty much for home listening imo plugged into a computer based system.

 

[adrianm]

If you don’t like iems be careful these have large ear nozzels (7mm instead of 5mm) and are kind of finicky to get seated right. Sound is amazing, plug in is absolutely annoying af if you use Spotify or Apple Music at all. Cypher cable for iPhone is ok but makes them sound like 500$ headphones. I don’t want to be negative I absolutely love mine but realistically they are not an easy plug n play solution for everywhere, they are pretty much for home listening imo plugged into a computer based system.

Thanks , it's along the lines of what i was expecting.I do use them exclusively at home/office into a computer based system,streaming tidal, but the eq part is finnicky...if they sound like 500$ headphones via ciper,might as well get isine 10 + cipher for 200 bucks (massive discount atm) and call it a day i guess.Not sure how much of a downgrade it would be from z1r+ta-zh1es atm, but i'm sure it would beat my airpods pro by miles.

 

[normie610]

Thanks , it's along the lines of what i was expecting.I do use them exclusively at home/office into a computer based system,streaming tidal, but the eq part is finnicky...if they sound like 500$ headphones via ciper,might as well get isine 10 + cipher for 200 bucks (massive discount atm) and call it a day i guess.Not sure how much of a downgrade it would be from z1r+ta-zh1es atm, but i'm sure it would beat my airpods pro by miles.

Just to chime in a bit here, I wouldn’t say the the cipher make them sound like $500 headphones and it doesn’t need a computer based system to shine. I used to play hi res files from my ipod touch 6 through NePlayer app and cipher cable, and it can come close to 85-90% of the sound coming out from the pairing with a properly EQ’d WM1Z. But again, to me cipher or source EQ (if not using cipher) is a must for i4. To this day, the i4 is still the best sounding IEM I’ve ever heard with one caveat, you just have to find the best sounding EQ settings for your ears. My go to pairing is with Norne Silvergarde SX cable and WM1Z with FW U1.02. I’ve never heard Z1R+1A+TA combo so I cannot provide any comparison. I use my Z1R with N6ii E02, and although they sound truly amazing, the i4 is still better.

Edit: it appears that your Z1R is the MDR not IER whereas mine is the latter.

 

[adrianm]

I know it's personal but how would you rate comfort vs the z1r? those seem like a lot less work + they are closed (which is good and bad).Eq-ing them would require me to get Audirvana and stream Tidal through it.Audirvana already sounds a bit different to me with the same track on Tidal,it feels l that adding EQ on top of that would defeat the purpose of getting a reference dac like Dave. Any thoughts on isine10 +cipher vs lcd i4+ cipher via iphone for example for ease of use?

 

[normie610]

I know it's personal but how would you rate comfort vs the z1r? those seem like a lot less work + they are closed (which is good and bad).Eq-ing them would require me to get Audirvana and stream Tidal through it.Audirvana already sounds a bit different to me with the same track on Tidal,it feels l that adding EQ on top of that would defeat the purpose of getting a reference dac like Dave. Any thoughts on isine10 +cipher vs lcd i4+ cipher via iphone for example for ease of use?

In terms of comfort, I never have any issues with both.

You can use the Reveal plugin if you use Audirvana (I use that whenever I’m listening through my desktop setup but very very rarely). I’m certain that Audirvana+Reveal+Dave would sound fantastic, but of course this is pure speculation

Unfortunately I never heard the iSines so can’t give any comparison there. But if it’s purely ease of use, I guess both would be identical. The only use case that I would recommend avoiding is to use i4 on an airplane, the noise of jet engine will eliminate the bass and it will sound like $500 headphones I used to use i4 while cycling, paired with my iPhone and it’s an incredibly surreal feeling, to be able to enjoy the best sound possible while you can still be very much aware of your sorroundings. But ever since I got myself a pair of Airpods Pro, I stopped using i4 for cycling.

 

[adrianm]

Yeah the airpods pro are the only in ears i can tolerate for more than 20 minutes,i was hoping they audezes are close to the airpods comfort wise

 

[eternalEquilibrium]

I forget I'm even wearing them. Alot more comfortable to me than the ierz1r. I don't use cipher. I've EQ to my liking and couldn't imagine better sounding IEMs. Alot of speculation in the last few posts. Just give em a shot. Audeze offer 30 day return.

 

[adrianm]

I forget I'm even wearing them. Alot more comfortable to me than the ierz1r. I don't use cipher. I've EQ to my liking and couldn't imagine better sounding IEMs. Alot of speculation in the last few posts. Just give em a shot. Audeze offer 30 day return.

Not in my country,and no returns for iem’s....but like a 800 euro discount though.So tempted to order a pair of isine 10s to try on and get the lcdi4’s if comfort is good

 

[eternalEquilibrium]

Not in my country,and no returns for iem’s....but like a 800 euro discount though.So tempted to order a pair of isine 10s to try on and get the lcdi4’s if comfort is good

Return only offered from audeze directly I'm pretty sure from memory. Can always email them. They have excellent customer service.

 

[eternalEquilibrium]

Comfort wise, all I do is insert them a little, then hook over ear like a coat hanger. Done. No hassles in wiggling the iem in for a perfect seal, adjusting angle, and looping cable over ear or anything. Of course not all fit works for everyone. I've always had iem fitting issues, but because the lcdi4 works differently it suits me better

 

[adrianm]

Return only offered from audeze directly I'm pretty sure from memory. Can always email them. They have excellent customer service.

Comfort wise, all I do is insert them a little, then hook over ear like a coat hanger. Done. No hassles in wiggling the iem in for a perfect seal, adjusting angle, and looping cable over ear or anything. Of course not all fit works for everyone. I've always had iem fitting issues, but because the lcdi4 works differently it suits me better

Sounds great,gonna consider it, no way to order from Audeze because of import taxes and etc i'd end up paying at least 50% more considering the discount my dealer has.I think i'm gonna get the isine 10's first to test the fit.

 

[Swisshead]

I can repeat it again with pleasure.

The i4 is certainly one of the very best in-ear you can buy. Its competitors are Overear in the range 3-5TUSD. It has a sound that is addictive and hard to describe. This clarity, velvety, never garish or disturbing, a bass to kneel down. For me it's clearly a convenient replacement for a huge Overear.

But to develop its potential, it definitely needs a big amplifier. Not one of those mobile things, it's just not enough, the more power the better. The crowning glory is balanced on a tube amp! Then everyone will hear what's inside this little thing. Massive. For me, the headphone of the decade!

Which is just a pity if you use it mobile via cipher or mini-amp. It's just a waste of money. Then I clearly recommend the i3. You save a lot of money and the i3 is very close to the i4 in many ways. I would say that with the i3 you have 85-90% of the i4. The i3 sounds absolutely perfect with cipher! That's why I bought the i3, just for iPhone and so on. The i3 has a much better efficiency and the cipher is excellent, a dream sound for a mobile combination. i3 sounds also very good on the amp, on my iCan it comes close to the i4. But the i4 is unique. It does not achieve this and to pay more than double for the last 10%, yes, it was worth it to me. But if you would only listen to the i3, it is perfectly sufficient and everyone should be happy with it.

What you can forget about is the BT solution. Yes it works, but it is clearly a stopgap solution and you lose a lot of the sound. Then it is nothing more than a slightly better AirPods Pro. A pity for the money. If BT, I go directly to the AirPods Pro. But with cable via cipher, the i3 a dream, on the cipher the i3 beats the i4 quite clearly! If you just want to listen to your headphones on the go, you can save the investment in the expensive i4 and use the much cheaper i3. But if you want absolute totl and absolute high end at home, you buy the i4, but please use a decent amp. Otherwise you give away your potential and are clearly better off with the i3. The i4 is for connoisseurs to listen once! Especially with very good recordings via Qubuz and Audirvana.

I prefer listening to operas and classical music with the i4. There is hardly anything better.

There is much discussion about EQ. Yes of course, it is a very personal thing. I like the i4 best of all absolutely neutral, without EQ, just via iCan in tube mode. I miss nothing. Yesterday I installed the plugin from Audeze. I was extremely disappointed. It destroyed the i4 right away. It sounded awful. I didn't even like it on the i3 and the LCD-X. With the i3 and LCD-X it sounds much better to make a very minimal correction via ADI-2. Much better. I would never spend the 200 USD for the plugin, which is an absolute disappointment for me.

But recommend everyone once, take your time and test the i4 on a very strong tub amp in balanced mode. You will kneel down, what a marvel of technology this is!

And as mentioned before, if you want to use it mobile via cipher or small amp, save the expensive investment and take the i3, it's great!

To the iSine. No, don't buy it anymore. It is sold out almost everywhere. But the i3 is a massive improvement on the iSine20. I still have it, I will keep it, you won't get anything when you resell it. But it is more a fun listener. And yes, it needs massive EQ to make it enjoyable. But in between I will use it again with pleasure, so that you know what you have on your i4!

 

[normie610]

The Reveal plugin I use is for free. I’m not aware that there’s one that you have to pay for 200 dollars.

 

[eternalEquilibrium]

I can repeat it again with pleasure.

The i4 is certainly one of the very best in-ear you can buy. Its competitors are Overear in the range 3-5TUSD. It has a sound that is addictive and hard to describe. This clarity, velvety, never garish or disturbing, a bass to kneel down. For me it's clearly a convenient replacement for a huge Overear.

But to develop its potential, it definitely needs a big amplifier. Not one of those mobile things, it's just not enough, the more power the better. The crowning glory is balanced on a tube amp! Then everyone will hear what's inside this little thing. Massive. For me, the headphone of the decade!

Which is just a pity if you use it mobile via cipher or mini-amp. It's just a waste of money. Then I clearly recommend the i3. You save a lot of money and the i3 is very close to the i4 in many ways. I would say that with the i3 you have 85-90% of the i4. The i3 sounds absolutely perfect with cipher! That's why I bought the i3, just for iPhone and so on. The i3 has a much better efficiency and the cipher is excellent, a dream sound for a mobile combination. i3 sounds also very good on the amp, on my iCan it comes close to the i4. But the i4 is unique. It does not achieve this and to pay more than double for the last 10%, yes, it was worth it to me. But if you would only listen to the i3, it is perfectly sufficient and everyone should be happy with it.

What you can forget about is the BT solution. Yes it works, but it is clearly a stopgap solution and you lose a lot of the sound. Then it is nothing more than a slightly better AirPods Pro. A pity for the money. If BT, I go directly to the AirPods Pro. But with cable via cipher, the i3 a dream, on the cipher the i3 beats the i4 quite clearly! If you just want to listen to your headphones on the go, you can save the investment in the expensive i4 and use the much cheaper i3. But if you want absolute totl and absolute high end at home, you buy the i4, but please use a decent amp. Otherwise you give away your potential and are clearly better off with the i3. The i4 is for connoisseurs to listen once! Especially with very good recordings via Qubuz and Audirvana.

I prefer listening to operas and classical music with the i4. There is hardly anything better.

There is much discussion about EQ. Yes of course, it is a very personal thing. I like the i4 best of all absolutely neutral, without EQ, just via iCan in tube mode. I miss nothing. Yesterday I installed the plugin from Audeze. I was extremely disappointed. It destroyed the i4 right away. It sounded awful. I didn't even like it on the i3 and the LCD-X. With the i3 and LCD-X it sounds much better to make a very minimal correction via ADI-2. Much better. I would never spend the 200 USD for the plugin, which is an absolute disappointment for me.

But recommend everyone once, take your time and test the i4 on a very strong tub amp in balanced mode. You will kneel down, what a marvel of technology this is!

And as mentioned before, if you want to use it mobile via cipher or small amp, save the expensive investment and take the i3, it's great!

To the iSine. No, don't buy it anymore. It is sold out almost everywhere. But the i3 is a massive improvement on the iSine20. I still have it, I will keep it, you won't get anything when you resell it. But it is more a fun listener. And yes, it needs massive EQ to make it enjoyable. But in between I will use it again with pleasure, so that you know what you have on your i4!

You could even say, use a decent amp for every earphone to get the best out of them...
Amp or no amp, you will have the best aound available. Headphone characteristics.

 

[adrianm]

The Reveal plugin I use is for free. I’m not aware that there’s one that you have to pay for 200 dollars.

The plugin is free,but you do have to pay for a player that supports the plugin from what i've read.