Introducing the LCD-i3
Feb 14, 2023 at 8:56 AM Post #991 of 1,036
Alright awesome, thank your for the reply! I can actually get my hands on a lightning cipher cable, so i will be able to ditch the BT cipher haha
I've done another A-B session yesterday and today as I just received my 7Hz Timeless and was curious. I did a comparison between the Qudelix 5K (with Auto EQ added) and the Lightning Cipher cable with my own EQ in the Audeze app. IMHO the Lightning Cipher cable plus Eq easily sounds better than the 5K. If it helps, here is what I use in the Audeze app. Of course, YMMV.
Screenshot 2023-02-14 at 13.55.06.png.png
 
Feb 20, 2023 at 9:16 AM Post #992 of 1,036
Has anyone found other IEMs or headphones that achieve a similar sound? Particularly with auto EQ.
Always disliked the sound of Audezes immensely, but the i3 with EQ is really landing well with me for some reason, and am considering getting on or something similar.

I thought LCD-i3 was the best planar IEM I’ve heard, then I listened to the Raptgo Hook X original, and was blown away. Cost much less, sounds much better. No EQ needed, everything is just so much more clear, detailed and transparent on the Hook X in comparison.
 
Feb 20, 2023 at 10:35 AM Post #993 of 1,036
I thought LCD-i3 was the best planar IEM I’ve heard, then I listened to the Raptgo Hook X original, and was blown away. Cost much less, sounds much better. No EQ needed, everything is just so much more clear, detailed and transparent on the Hook X in comparison.
That's how I felt when I listened to the Timeless for the first time. While very clean and fast, good hybrid IEMs still sound better and have better clarity (according to my ears).
 
Feb 20, 2023 at 3:54 PM Post #994 of 1,036
That's how I felt when I listened to the Timeless for the first time. While very clean and fast, good hybrid IEMs still sound better and have better clarity (according to my ears).

Chi Fi is really showing the way in planars, they’ve come on the scene and rendered Audeze IEMs a tad bit insignificant. The fact you have to heavily EQ Audeze in stock cable for a £900 iem is crazy. At the time when was in to the i3, I would make excuses for it, but planars that cost up to five times less are putting Audeze to shame. Letshuoer S12 is sub £200 with zero EQ has superior clarity to the i3 unless you heavily EQ i3.

I sold my i3 as a result. I just couldn’t justify keeping them. I purchased the Hook X and the S12 and still have £400 left over from the i3 sale.

Mental
 
Feb 24, 2023 at 12:11 PM Post #995 of 1,036
I thought LCD-i3 was the best planar IEM I’ve heard, then I listened to the Raptgo Hook X original, and was blown away. Cost much less, sounds much better. No EQ needed, everything is just so much more clear, detailed and transparent on the Hook X in comparison.
I don’t find the chi fi iems to be on the level of the eq’ed i3. The i3 has much larger sense of space due to its size/open design, and a much more effortless detai retrieval/precision. That said, apart from the soundstage some of the cheap Chinese planars do get quite close when you consider the price difference… and they’re way more convenient and don’t need eq. Apart from Dioko maybe, that one was just a flop.
 
Feb 24, 2023 at 12:13 PM Post #996 of 1,036
I don’t find the chi fi iems to be on the level of the eq’ed i3. The i3 has much larger sense of space due to its size/open design, and a much more effortless detai retrieval/precision. That said, apart from the soundstage some of the cheap Chinese planars do get quite close when you consider the price difference… and they’re way more convenient and don’t need eq. Apart from Dioko maybe, that one was just a flop.
Agree. Soundstage of the lcd i3 (and i4) is just something different and quite amazing!
 
Feb 24, 2023 at 2:15 PM Post #997 of 1,036
That’s the point, a £900 IEM which needs to be EQd… It’s actually crazy.

And I can EQ the Raptgo to sound exactly like an EQ’d i3.

The difference between the Hook X and i3 is very small. The fact you don’t need to Eq Hook X is great.

The i3 does not sound £600 better. Just a wasre of money to me in 2023. IEM technology has caught up, the Audeze is rendered obsolete to me. And I actually do love Audeze, not saying they are rubbish, just better options now in ‘23 and beyond, especially in the £900 price range
 
Feb 24, 2023 at 2:17 PM Post #998 of 1,036
I don’t find the chi fi iems to be on the level of the eq’ed i3. The i3 has much larger sense of space due to its size/open design, and a much more effortless detai retrieval/precision. That said, apart from the soundstage some of the cheap Chinese planars do get quite close when you consider the price difference… and they’re way more convenient and don’t need eq. Apart from Dioko maybe, that one was just a flop.
hook X is open back also and sounds more airy than i3, more clarity, bettter cohesion between the frequencies.
 
Feb 25, 2023 at 5:37 PM Post #999 of 1,036
That’s the point, a £900 IEM which needs to be EQd… It’s actually crazy.

And I can EQ the Raptgo to sound exactly like an EQ’d i3.

The difference between the Hook X and i3 is very small. The fact you don’t need to Eq Hook X is great.

The i3 does not sound £600 better. Just a wasre of money to me in 2023. IEM technology has caught up, the Audeze is rendered obsolete to me. And I actually do love Audeze, not saying they are rubbish, just better options now in ‘23 and beyond, especially in the £900 price range
That’s a personal value judgement. Whilst I do agree needing EQ is ridiculous, the end result is still quite unique. But given that there isn’t something cheaper that does what the i3 does at the end of the day, they can charge what they want. Hook x is good, but not the same.
hook X is open back also and sounds more airy than i3, more clarity, bettter cohesion between the frequencies.
The hook X is barely open back in anything but name - it doesn't have the headphone-like stage size of the i3, which is the main unique part resulting from that. And whilst good, I definitely don’t find the driver as competent in detail, separation etc. but it might do low end punch better.
I bought hook x amongst others hoping to get an easier to use way to achieve the results of the EQed i3, and they just didn’t achieve that. But are very good in their own way.
But agree to disagree I suppose.
 
Feb 26, 2023 at 9:02 PM Post #1,000 of 1,036
Here's my LCD-i3 story.
After deciding to give the i3 a try I had some trouble finding one new and I was hoping to get the Apple cipher cable just to try. I'm not an Apple guy, but my wife has an iphone..

So I decided to buy used off of Ebay and found one with the cipher cable. Per recommendations from this thread I also ordered the Bronze Dragon Cable with 2.5mm balanced connector and a Qudelix 5K.

And I really enjoyed the combination for about 2 mo and then my left headphone went dead right in the middle of a song. I tried different cables and a different amp, but it was the i3.

So I wrote to Audeze to see if they could fix at my expense or if they had a left transducer I could purchase.

Surprisingly to me they told me to send it in, and sent me a new pair of i3's, even though they new it was not covered under warranty and that I bought them used off Ebay.

Well I am thrilled to have them back and the great, an unexpected customer service will make really reconsider buying used next time.

I thought I would also share the carrying case I use. It's a

Evergreen 52 Waterproof Dry Box Protective Case​


This fits my whole portable rig perfectly even with ear hoops installed.

Thanks for the great thread!
 

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Feb 27, 2023 at 7:52 AM Post #1,001 of 1,036
That’s a personal value judgement. Whilst I do agree needing EQ is ridiculous, the end result is still quite unique. But given that there isn’t something cheaper that does what the i3 does at the end of the day, they can charge what they want. Hook x is good, but not the same.

The hook X is barely open back in anything but name - it doesn't have the headphone-like stage size of the i3, which is the main unique part resulting from that. And whilst good, I definitely don’t find the driver as competent in detail, separation etc. but it might do low end punch better.
I bought hook x amongst others hoping to get an easier to use way to achieve the results of the EQed i3, and they just didn’t achieve that. But are very good in their own way.
But agree to disagree I suppose.

Subjective hearing is so fascinating, isn’t it, my friend?

It always intrigues me. The LCD-i3 are great IEM’s, that’s without a doubt, and if I didn’t hear other less expensive IEMs released in 2022/23, I would still be raving about my i3’s.

Whilst not a planar, Final Audio A5000 have better separation than the i3, to my ears.

What I’m trying to say is I have found a fee different IEMs which (to my ears) match the i3.

I suppose if you’re rich and can afford it then fine, but for someone like me looking for the best possible cost to sound quality value ratio, keeping an IEM in this instance is very hard to justify.

Where I will say the i3 is amazing at, which I’ve yet to hear on an IEM is the sound depth with better air. That, I suppose goes back to what you were saying about open back.

Also, I wish Audeze clips weren’t so fragile.

Audeze are ripping us off, big time
 
Feb 28, 2023 at 5:27 PM Post #1,002 of 1,036
Here's my LCD-i3 story.
After deciding to give the i3 a try I had some trouble finding one new and I was hoping to get the Apple cipher cable just to try. I'm not an Apple guy, but my wife has an iphone..

So I decided to buy used off of Ebay and found one with the cipher cable. Per recommendations from this thread I also ordered the Bronze Dragon Cable with 2.5mm balanced connector and a Qudelix 5K.

And I really enjoyed the combination for about 2 mo and then my left headphone went dead right in the middle of a song. I tried different cables and a different amp, but it was the i3.

So I wrote to Audeze to see if they could fix at my expense or if they had a left transducer I could purchase.

Surprisingly to me they told me to send it in, and sent me a new pair of i3's, even though they new it was not covered under warranty and that I bought them used off Ebay.

Well I am thrilled to have them back and the great, an unexpected customer service will make really reconsider buying used next time.

I thought I would also share the carrying case I use. It's a

Evergreen 52 Waterproof Dry Box Protective Case​


This fits my whole portable rig perfectly even with ear hoops installed.

Thanks for the great thread!
This is really good to hear. I purchased mine when they were quite a bit cheaper than they are currently. Near to £600. Now I’m back to using the Cipher Lightning cable with some added EQ using the Audeze app, they are still very good indeed.
Large soundstage, powerful, detailed and open-backed which is what I was after. I was looking at the LCD-X and Mr Speakers (now Dan Clark) and for convenience and price, these were winners for me. Very ’musical’.
Also, I love the fact that, along with the iSines they are still unique.
Once I added up the BT cable, the Lightning cable and the sound and uniqueness of them, I was sold.
However, for their current price and the availability of Chi-Fi planar IEMs, I’d think twice if I were buying them now.
Hanging on to mine though and glad to hear about the great customer service.
I just hope that when Apple change to USB-C, my cable still works with my Anker adaptor as it does on my Mac
 
Apr 21, 2023 at 3:10 PM Post #1,004 of 1,036
@Audeze I've updated my Audeze HQ app on my iPhone and I can no longer connect to my Lightning Cipher cable open my LCDi3s. It seems to be insisting on bluetooth, I'm guessing because of the new gaming headphones. Please advise.
I have uninstalled/reinstalled and switched off the BT option in the settings
 
Apr 21, 2023 at 3:15 PM Post #1,005 of 1,036
A general statement on this:

Unfortunately, as the Cipher cables are a legacy/discontinued item, it is no longer officially supported with our latest app updates.

To be clear: the Cipher cable still works without any differences in playback. EQ Settings made before updating the app are not affected. The difference is that now there's no official compatibility for further changes.

Not all is lost however, there is still a current workaround:

- Tap Settings, go back to EQ, and it may work as it did before.

Beyond this, the only function of the HQ app for the Cipher cable was as an 8-band equalizer. Although values will not be saved on the cable itself, many other apps offer similar functionality and will work with the Cipher cable. Ones we've tried with success are VOX, Onkyo HF Player, and Neutron, but there are many other options. There are also some apps that claim to offer system EQ, but we haven't tried them.
 
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