[Sweetmeat]

Anyone here has upgraded from lcd x. What you guys have?

I too was considering an upgrade and was ready to pull the trigger on LCD4 burls when a big crack appeared in my LCD3 zebrawood. Audeze is demanding more than the LCD3 are worth to fix it. Now it is only a matter of time until my LCD3 fall apart in my hands just like my TH900 did. And that would be the eventual end for my LCD4 as well.

You may say what about my LCDX well actually I own LCDXC which are voiced very similar. I just hang around on this thread because it is obviously the coolest Audeze TOTL thread. In fact for short-term listening I prefer the LCDXC over the LCD3 due to truer FR but for long-term listening the LCD3 is best for me because it is never fatiguing.

That is why I am interested in the MX4. It uses the same bullet-proof diaphragm as the LCDX but with the bigger LCD4 magnets. Even lighter structure, no wood to split in 5 years. Nobody's heard it yet but I'll bet it's smoother in the top end than the LCDX or LCDXC. So for me it's either the MX4 or Stax. I've owned a pair of Lambdas for 20 years, still working great.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I too was considering an upgrade and was ready to pull the trigger on LCD4 burls when a big crack appeared in my LCD3 zebrawood. Audeze is demanding more than the LCD3 are worth to fix it. Now it is only a matter of time until my LCD3 fall apart in my hands just like my TH900 did. And that would be the eventual end for my LCD4 as well.

You may say what about my LCDX well actually I own LCDXC which are voiced very similar. I just hang around on this thread because it is obviously the coolest Audeze TOTL thread. In fact for short-term listening I prefer the LCDXC over the LCD3 due to truer FR but for long-term listening the LCD3 is best for me because it is never fatiguing.

That is why I am interested in the MX4. It uses the same bullet-proof diaphragm as the LCDX but with the bigger LCD4 magnets. Even lighter structure, no wood to split in 5 years. Nobody's heard it yet but I'll bet it's smoother in the top end than the LCDX or LCDXC. So for me it's either the MX4 or Stax. I've owned a pair of Lambdas for 20 years, still working great.

What concerns me about the MX4 is they keep talking about studio applications, which leaves me worried it will be made too "neutral" and lose the Audeze sound that's the whole reason I buy from them.

 

[Sweetmeat]

I doubt it can ever lose the Audeze sound, but as for studio applications that's just marketing. We have all noticed the extensive marketing Audeze has applied to their new products beginning with the EL-8. There are lots of people who go for style over sound and Audeze is trying to cater to them. Plus the simultaneous release of the software makes me think the headphones alone are not accurate enough for studio duty. But I could be wrong and I certainly won't buy them without reading some reviews first.

 

[Hanuman]

I have to concur, HungryPanda, LCD-X is so satisfying, the $$$ can be spent elsewhere in the system. I considered the Utopia's but after reading 30 pages of the Utopia thread with 12% repairs and many warranty issues, price drops, etc. I upgraded the amp instead. Someone said the LCD-4 have similar signature to the X's,, Here is John Atkinson's comparison: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audeze-lcd-4-headphones

 

[mogulmaster]

On another topic but some may find interesting, I just received the Etymotic ER15 custom made protectors.

Sorry for the picture size.

I test them using under the LCD-X and they have almost flat response!
This is going to be great for live concerts.

Rad! How much are those? I've been using the ER-20 for years and years...

 

[mogulmaster]

Mogul: Would anyone else recommend another EQ? I use Tidal about 99% of the time

Just curious if you are using TIDAL HIFI ? You seem to be saying certain songs smoothed out.. I Haven't used SW, but anything to improve a bad recording is a relative plus, as long as the EQ palette doesn't tint your phones,

Of course HIFI!! I'm saying good recordings have been smoothed out by the EQ -- there is a noticeable peak somewhere in my LCD-X FR that has been taken down. I don't know about y'all but I'm super pleased with EQ. While I like the X without it, the EQ has added transparency. and to my ears the character of the X that is awesome (energy and musicality) remains very intact.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I have to concur, HungryPanda, LCD-X is so satisfying, the $$$ can be spent elsewhere in the system. I considered the Utopia's but after reading 30 pages of the Utopia thread with 12% repairs and many warranty issues, price drops, etc. I upgraded the amp instead. Someone said the LCD-4 have similar signature to the X's,, Here is John Atkinson's comparison: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audeze-lcd-4-headphones

I listened to the X and Utopia side by side. I found the Utopia... stunningly proficient, but just not my speed. Out of a Chord Dave they sounded like much more my speed, but that's an insane amount of money at that point. I wouldn't go from X to Utopia in most situations.

 

[ezekiel77]

I listened to the X and Utopia side by side. I found the Utopia... stunningly proficient, but just not my speed. Out of a Chord Dave they sounded like much more my speed, but that's an insane amount of money at that point. I wouldn't go from X to Utopia in most situations.

The small stage size of the Utopia is a dealbreaker for me. Excellent speed and tonality, but too in-your-head to truly enjoy. Kept me on-edge rather than relaxed.

 

[Globox]

By the way. I have an FAW Noir Hybrid HPC. I was wondering if a FAW Noir HPC MKII would sound different ?

Up !

 

[Globox]

Up again !

With another question : How do you nourish the leather ? I know Audeze sell a kit to do that but is there anything else cheaper that works as well ? I am thinking about the baby cleaning milk that we can use on our lether coat for exemple. Anything like that for our audio stuff ?

 

[casper3127]

After having paid that much for your Audezes, 10€ is not that much to baby them a bit.

 

[Globox]

Well... it is more like 30€...

 

[casper3127]

Well... it is more like 30€...

http://www.supersonido.es/p/audeze-lcdlcare

Not in my home country at least. I reckon however that 30€ for such a tiny bottle is a bit pricey...

 

[Dr. Hugo]

Has anyone tried LCD-X with Bravo audio's V2? Despite some people's opinion about tube amp pairing with planar magnetic headphones, it sounded amazing to me, like AMAZING. I got the headphone a few months ago and was looking for an amp that can pair with it. For an amp that's only 65 bucks in the US, I couldn't imagine a cheaper solution. In fact, there aren't many better solutions either.

I bought Audeze's own amp, Audeze Deckard, and thought it was gonna be a great pair with their own headphone. Yet I was disappointed. I tried all three gains but the improvement was not that much. It still sounded much better than just coming out of the dac but it definitely didn't worth a 700 dollars investment. Comparing to Audeze Deckard, V2 improved the sound stage dramatically to my ears and the separation of music instruments is greatly improved comparing to the Deckard. Moreover, I found the highs a little bit too harsh coming out of the Deckard, since I listen to a lot of classics; the highs on V2, however, were never a problem.

I don't know what you guys use to pair with the LCD-Xs but I have to say at $65, the Bravo Audio V2 was definitely worth trying (if you don't already have a tube amp that works well with low impedance planar).

 

[Globox]

http://www.supersonido.es/p/audeze-lcdlcare

Not in my home country at least. I reckon however that 30€ for such a tiny bottle is a bit pricey...

10€ + 19€ for shipping to france : 29€ but even in Portugal it is still 19€, which is pricey.

I don't know what you guys use to pair with the LCD-Xs but I have to say at $65, the Bravo Audio V2 was definitely worth trying (if you don't already have a tube amp that works well with low impedance planar).

Schiit Mjolnir 2 for me. Hybrid amp. And it is great.
I was also pretty good with my Fostex HP-A4.