Apologies for taking so long to post my impression on the MX4, but between the whole family getting the flu and several deadlines at work, it was hard to find time to do much else
First, I’d like to thank Jason and Alan from the Source AV and Audeze for giving me the opportunity to participate in the MX4 loaner tour. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the MX4 for about a week and a half, giving me a decent amount of time to become accustomed to it’s sound, and how it compares to my LCD-X, LCD-2C, Sony MDR-Z1R, and Campfire Lyra 2. My chain is Tidal Hifi -> Schiit Yggdrasil balanced out -> Schiit Mjolnir 2 (with tubes) -> balanced out to all headphones. For reference I have previously owned the following: Grado GS1000, AKG K702, AKG K550, STAX SR507, STAX 007Mk2, LCD-2rev2, TH-600, TH-X00, TH-900, and maybe some others I can’t remember. Anyway, without further ado, here are my thoughts on the MX4.
I went into this extremely interested in the MX4, but as I tend to prefer a slightly darker sound and am somewhat of a basshead, I suspected I wouldn’t like them due to descriptions of them being bass lite and bright. However, the very first thing I noticed is just how silky smooth they sounded. Not thick and creamy like the pre-favor LCD2s, but just a very full-bodied, liquid sound, without any harshness. That smooth but engaging sound, in and of itself, grabbed me right way and I knew I was going to enjoy the MX4.
As I said, I’d heard the MX4 described as being bass lite, so I decided I’d start with some bass heavy electronic music to see how they fared. In particular, I listened to Ruffhouse
Straight 9’s, which features driving kick drums, a rumbling bassline, and snappy high-hats. To my surprise, I felt MX4 had the best bass out of the bunch. It hit hard, had texture, and went just as deep, if not deeper, than the other headphones on hand. In comparison, the X seemed to hit a bit softer but was maybe fuller sounding, the 2C may have had slightly more bass but it was not as tight, and the Z1R had similar slam but bled into the lower mids. With regards to the highs, the high-hats were a little too sharp with the X and Z1R, but seemed less piercing with the MX4, despite the MX4 having more extended treble.
As another bass check, I tried out a subwoofer bass test somebody posted in the LCD2C thread (
http://www.audiocheck.net/audiotests_frequencychecklow.php). Each headphone was able to go all the way down, but again to my surprise the MX4 seemed to go the lowest, sounded the biggest, and had the most tactile rumble. This trend of finding the MX4 had the best bass leads me to believe that the MX4 isn’t bass lite per se, but that the extended high end and more forward mids keep the emphasis away from the bass, and so during tracks the MX4 may sound
relatively basslite, but it’s really just that it’s more balanced. Hope that makes sense.
I switched over to Jeff Buckley’s
Hallelujah and Jimi Hendrix’s
Red House to get a better sense of how the MX4 handles mids and real instruments. Again, I was struck by how liquid the MX4 sounds, with the guitar and vocals sounding so smooth and realistic. Honestly, this was one of those times I felt like I wasn’t listening to headphones, not because it was some sort of out-of-body soundstage teleportation thing, but just because everything sounded so natural and cohesive. My only issue with these songs was I had to turn down the volume during the climax of Hallelujah, when Jeff Buckley really starts to let loose. I don’t know if this was because I was really listening too loud, or if this was due to the MX4 emphasizing some frequency.
As far as soundstage goes, I think the X and MX4 were pretty similar, although the MX4 seemed to have more equal ratio of width to height. At the very beginning of Nils Frahm’s
The Whole Universe Wants to Be Touched, somebody walks from right to left across the stage, and with both headphones it sounded like the person was out to the left of my head by the time they stopped. In The Haxan Cloak’s
Excavation (Part 1) there is this electronic sound that circles around the listener, and again for both headphones it seemed like it was going in a perfect circle around my neck (weird, i know).
I have to be honest, as the week went on, I stopped taking notes because I just kept having the same observations over and over again. The MX4 has a smooth, liquid, full-bodied sound, is cohesive and balanced, is most extended on both ends of the frequency spectrum, and is very dynamic. No frequency really stood out, it just sounded natural. In comparison, the other Audezes sounded grainier, darker, mildly recessed, and more closed in. From memory, I don’t think the MX4 is brighter than my old 507, and I’ve never heard the HD800, so it’s hard for me to say if the MX4 is a bright headphone, or just that it is
brighter than my other, darker, headphones. Generally speaking, I don’t think there was anything the other headphones did better than the MX4. Maybe similar performance in some areas, but not better.
A few other odds and ends. As far as comfort goes, the Z1R is the most comfortable. I have the carbon fiber headband on my X, and so the Audeze all had similar levels of comfort, despite the differences in weight. The suspension headbands really do work wonders. To my surprise, I actually prefer the pleather earpads on the 2C, maybe just due to the smoother texture. The clamp on all 3 is pretty strong, but i think loosest on the 2C. Out of the 3 Audeze, I found the 2C most comfortable.
The case of the MX4 is HUGE, much larger than the one my X came in. It’s a bit harder to get the headphone into, as the area for the headband is much more narrow, and so I prefer the smaller case. The MX4 doesn’t come with a balanced cable, which I was disappointed to see, given the cost of these headphones. Finally, I don’t know where else to put this, but I feel like I should mention that my wife, who couldn’t care less about headphones, said she preferred the Z1R over the MX4, although she couldn’t put her finger on why. Just putting that out there
Clearly, I think the MX4 are great!!!! I’m very surprised the MX4 doesn’t get more attention, but maybe it’s because it’s in an odd spot in the lineup, where it’s so much more expensive than the X that many won’t consider it, and those who can afford the MX4 will probably skip it and get the 4? Or maybe some audiophiles are turned off by it sold as a studio headphone? I don’t know, but hopefully the MX4 starts getting more attention.
My major complaint with the MX4 is that they are just so expensive! I think it’s unfortunate that headphones prices have gotten to where they are now. But I guess these are the times we live in, where 3K is an acceptable price for headphones. It’s too much for me though, as I’d have to sell off all of my headphones to be able to afford them. Even though I think the MX4 is better than each of my other headphones, I’m not I sure I’m ready to part with all of them. Guess I just like having different flavors
Although, having said all of that, I am still considering selling them to get the MX4 haha! So, my only real complaint about the MX4 is the price.
If you can swing it, are trying to decide between the X and MX4, want an upgrade from the X but can’t afford the LCD4, or want one well rounded and excellent headphone, I think the MX4 is a great option. I think only those who want a headphone with accentuated bass, or are totally averse to treble, won't enjoy the MX4. For me though, I give the MX4 two thumbs up!!!
