Once again, big thanks to @TSAVAlan and @TSAVJason for hooking me up with this loaner pair of @Audeze LCD-MX4's. All you guys rock!
LCD-MX4 Review
Build-Packaging-Comfort:
The LCD-MX4’s come with a newer style flight case that’s slightly bigger than the previous cases Audeze has used. I like it more than the older cases, but hey, it’s just a case. Other included accessories are a User Guide/Warrany Info USB flash drive and Certificate of Authenticity card. Audeze has ditched the old ribbon style cables and now include a ¼ ended braided cable. I’d say it’s an upgrade, but I think most people (like myself) are going to use a third party cable. Also thrown in is a ¼ to 1/8 short cord adapter.
One of the biggest selling points of the MX4 is the new LCD cups/gimbals that Audeze has constructed out of magnesium. This reduction of weight (up to 30% less of other LCD models) is immediately noticeable combined with the carbon fiber headband assembly. For me over the years of owning multiple LCD headphones, comfort was never great, but never excruciating. I can easily say with the MX4, Audeze has finally knocked out a design that can be worn for extended periods with good comfort. Overall the build quality feels extremely solid and premium. The cups inlayed silver grills look fantastic against the smooth matte black finish.
Gear and Music Pairing:
Two things really stood out for me after listening to the MX4’s. First and foremost it preforms well on pretty much everything. I tried it with 5 different setup’s and almost all of them sounded fantastic. The Chord Mojo sounded quite nice, as well as my Wells Audio Milo (which notoriously sounds fantastic with planars). My favorites were the Cayin i5 DAP and Cavalli Liquid Carbon, which are both warmer sounding gear. I felt the extra warmth paired nicely with the MX4’s sound signature. The Schiit Fulla 2 was the only pairing that I didn’t feel worked that well. It was slightly thin sounding and a little too bright. The second thing that stood out to me it was that the MX4 sounded exceptional with practically everything I threw at it. Everything from Classic Rock, to Pop, Hip Hop, Electronic and Classical music sounded fantastic. I very rarely say this about a headphone, but I’d consider the MX4’s a solid “All-Rounder”.
Sound and Technicalities:
(Note, I got rather busy with work/personal life when I had the MX4’s, so I’m going by some notes I took and memory. I also didn’t compare the MX4’s directly to any other headphones, but I have owned all the LCD line and am familiar enough with their sound signatures to make some comparisons).
Tonality wise I absolutely loved how balanced and cohesive the MX4’s sounded. It’s easily the most “neutral” sounding Audeze headphone in the LCD line-up by far. Detail retrieval was overall outstanding and right up there with the other top tier headphones (including the LCD-4). The MX4’s soundstage was wide with good vertical size to it. More importantly, I found it very natural sounding and not over exaggerated. Instrument separation and imaging were fantastic, matching other TOTL headphones I’ve heard. In this case it might even be better than the LCD-4’s, although I couldn’t say for sure unless I could directly compare them.
Treble:
The MX4’s treble has great extension, with a very redefined, clean sound. I didn’t find it glaring, etchy or peaky, even with tracks that can be noticeably sibilant. Most impressive was after long listening sessions, I didn’t find them fatiguing at all. They definitely have the most treble presence of any LCD I’ve heard, which might turn some people off. Just of note, I’m not overly sensitive to treble, but I don’t think that will make a difference in this case.
Mids:
The mids on the MX4’s are right in line with the rest of the sound signature. They weren’t too upfront and also I didn’t find them withdrawn. I couldn’t really pin-point any real specific problems with the mids. One thing you’re not going to get is the plump, lush mids that most of the LCD line has. That may worry some, but it didn’t bother me at all. Like I mentioned early, some people might want to pair the MX4 with some warmer gear to help beef up the midrange. Unfortunately I didn’t have a compatible tube amp at the time of reviewing these, but I bet they would match up well with warmer sounding tubes.
Bass:
I found the MX4’s bass to be not overly emphasized in a good way. It felt very linear and had excellent extension into sub-bass frequencies. To me this is what well integrated planar bass should sound like. Fast, detailed and extremely well textured. When called upon the MX4’s will provide some good slam, but they don’t have nearly the impact of of my early LCD-X’s.
Final Thoughts:
If Audeze’s goal was to make a high end headphone that can be used for studio use and home enjoyment, I think they succeeded. The MX4’s were quite a pleasant surprise to me. Their clean and unfettered sound might not be for everyone, but I think a lot of people will enjoy these headphones. Coupled with the fact you’re not going to need an expensive amp to power them is a big plus. I know I already said it once, but I believe the MX4’s are one of the best high end “All Rounders” on the market. I enjoyed their sound so much I picked up pair of LCD-4’s and to be honest, I think I prefer the MX4’s more...