I just got my Audeze LCD-MX4's largely due to this thread (
THANK YOU) and couldn't be happier. Even with just a LG V30+ i'm hearing things I didn't even hear in Shure SE846's. I was listening to a song I'm very familiar with and could hear the sound of the room it was recorded in. It was actually so revealing I was a bit disturbed and surprised by it.
Though they sound great on my LG V30, in some demanding songs at volume I can hear amp clipping or mild distortion. I'm being picky here, but I can tell a better amp will improve it and we don't buy high end cans like this to hear clipping, right? I don't believe the issue is with the DACs in the V30 at all, it's got to be the amp section.
As owners of this great headphone, which of these directions would you steer me? (Please note: I don't want to roll tubes.. yet
- External Dac connected to V30 - Chord Mojo, IFI Micro iDSD Black Label or similar
- External Amp connected to V30 - Pico Power or similar portable amp
- Go full DAP Sony Walkman - (Probably the $1100 NW-WM1A, not the $3k NW-WM1Z)
- Go big at home with reference hardware and just deal with the stock V30 when traveling - Mytek Brooklyn+ is my top consideration here.
Also, I found the stock case to be utterly massive and ordered this
XXL CASEBUDi to try as a portable protection for the MX4's. The fit was excellent.