[AlphaDogZA]

Update, this version of the EQ is more “balanced”

 

[EvilKillaruna]

Very interesting comparisons, but I am in some perplexity - the first thing that impressed me after switching from iSine 20 to LCD-i3 is the deep and dense bass of the latter. We have clearly different iSine 20 or LCD-i3.

iSine 20 - I've had 2016 version of these in both review and personally. There should not be any differences in this series.
LCD-i3 - version 2019 in review, version 2020 currently owned, so I have the latest batch.

I've already posted many graphs with bass response here and on my blog. Remember that the bass may vary due to:

• user's anatomy
• type of tips (silicon, groovy, T600, other)
• proper seal and penetration
• proper angle of the headphone relative to the ear canal
• type of connection (jack, CBT, Cipher)

For example, my i20 had deeper bass with better extention with CBT and more dense and meaty bass with i3 on CBT. I've used mostly angled ear hooks, DIY angled earhooks and Groovy tips. With both headphones.

 

[Leonid Nek]

I've already posted many graphs with bass response...

It has already been noted that when buying the Audeze monitor headphones of one model, for example LCD-3, it is better to go to a large store to be able to listen to and choose from different copies - they will all sound differently. Probably this variation in sound is associated with the production technology of isodynamic headphones and applies to the iSine and LCD-i series.
I used the headphones the same way - the hooks are very approved for me, and the tips I picked up on the iSine 20 - with small, smooth tips, I liked the sound most. I confess with the LCD - i3, with the tips I did not experiment, but immediately put the ones that I used with the iSine 20. I immediately liked the sound of the LCD - i3, It seemed a new level compared to iSine 20 (which I loved, otherwise I would not have gone further for LCD-i).
Thicker and denser bass, amazing drums, guitar, piano. Definitely the best male vocals. But with the female vocals, it seemed to me not everything is unequivocal - there was less air and brightness in it, but it became deeper, more thorough. Not everything is so good with LCD - i3 with higher frequencies - it seems that the plates do not have enough resolution, the volume range is small, I do not have enough copper in them. The sound stage in iSine 20 was very wide, it seemed that you were listening to monitors, but the focus of the instruments was mediocre, the sound stage seemed strangely stretched. In LCD - i3, focusing is much better at the same latitude of the scene. All this makes us think about the LCD - i4, where, as they say, focusing is even better, better high frequencies, resolution. But given the LCD form factor - i4 and their price tag, I would use them cautiously. On the contrary, in addition to the LCD - i3, I plan to buy and use the iSine 10 inexpensively for active sports, trying to make friends with the bluetooth module from the LCD - i3 kit.

 

[EvilKillaruna]

With larger LCD you have many silent revisions. With LCD-3 I remember about 3 or 4 revisions from recent years. That is the source of the significant amount of changes and why people think that way. Between the same revisions there should not be much differences, only minor ones.

On the contrary, in addition to the LCD - i3, I plan to buy and use the iSine 10 inexpensively for active sports, trying to make friends with the bluetooth module from the LCD - i3 kit.

Cipher BT from LCD-i3 is tuned especially for LCD-i3/i4. For i10 you should buy separated one with proper tuning on board. You can use it, but with worse result and mis-matched tonality. As for i10 vs i3, I am afraid you will be torned between better out of the box tonality of i10 and better soundstage and quality of i3.

 

[Ocelitgol]

Shameless plug - selling isine cipher BT (on my way to save up for i4)

 

[davehutch]

Just received my Anker USB-A to Lightning Audio Adapter. They were back in stock on Amazon UK.
Happy bunny ) I can now listen straight off my Mac as well as my iPhone

@Audeze should be making these and shipping them with all of their Lightning headphones and in-ears. Then they'd be able to sell to PC and Mac users rather than just iDevice users.
Not that I need it to, but does the USB-C version work on Android phones with a USB-C connectors? (just in case I'm asked by anyone)

 

[Ocelitgol]

Just received my Anker USB-A to Lightning Audio Adapter. They were back in stock on Amazon UK.
Happy bunny ) I can now listen straight off my Mac as well as my iPhone

@Audeze should be making these and shipping them with all of their Lightning headphones and in-ears. Then they'd be able to sell to PC and Mac users rather than just iDevice users.
Not that I need it to, but does the USB-C version work on Android phones with a USB-C connectors? (just in case I'm asked by anyone)

Yes, it does for my on my Samsung Note 9. One thing though: the calling feature does not work on Note 9 (idk if it's just my phone). Whenever I try to make calls, it switch to the phone's speaker; this doesn't happen on a laptop.

 

[davehutch]

Yes, it does for my on my Samsung Note 9. One thing though: the calling feature does not work on Note 9 (idk if it's just my phone). Whenever I try to make calls, it switch to the phone's speaker; this doesn't happen on a laptop.

Good to know. In that case I think @Audeze are missing a trick as they could be selling the EL-8 LX, iSines and Lcd-i series to virtually anybody! Bizarre

 

[Marlowe]

Good to know. In that case I think @Audeze are missing a trick as they could be selling the EL-8 LX, iSines and Lcd-i series to virtually anybody! Bizarre

Is it possible that not directly packaging these sorts of adapters are a condition of Apple certification? One similar example is Fiio, which includes about every type of connector under the sun with their portable amps (I have a Q1 MK II), including a lightning to micro-USB cable, but not a similar cable for Android. (Another plausible reason is that, because of the literally thousands of variations of Android devices, manufacturers do not want to deal with customers' compatibility issues.)

 

[davehutch]

Is it possible that not directly packaging these sorts of adapters are a condition of Apple certification? One similar example is Fiio, which includes about every type of connector under the sun with their portable amps (I have a Q1 MK II), including a lightning to micro-USB cable, but not a similar cable for Android. (Another plausible reason is that, because of the literally thousands of variations of Android devices, manufacturers do not want to deal with customers' compatibility issues.)

That's a very good point about the wide variety of Android USB connectors. But I wouldn't see a problem with PCs and Macs as the USB standard is more rigorously adhered to I'm guessing?
It would be good if someone from @Audeze could shed some light on why they decided not to package the connector, or whether they might be planning to do it in the future.

 

[AlphaDogZA]

General discussion/observations:

So a little over two weeks have passed now since receiving my LCDi3s, and I’ve had some time to play around with these headphones.
For my ears, I needed to adjust the EQ to boost the bass frequencies a little bit, while leaving the midrange and treble frequencies untouched.

This is great for 95% of the music I listen to, however some recordings sound too bass heavy with this setting, in which case I use my stock EQ preset... easy.
Overall, and I don’t know if burn in applies to Planar drivers, but after about a week of use for approximately 2 hours a day, the sound “feels” like they have really opened up. I’m listening to older albums again and hearing things that I did not hear before with my other headphones. (Oppo PM-3, B&W PX, B&W C5, Sennheiser Momentum Gen1 Over Ears). I feel like selling everything and just keeping the LCDi3s and the Oppo’s. If I’m honest, this is the first time I have purchased headphones (In Ear Earphones?) that have really impressed me straight out of the box.

So from a Price-to-Performance-to-Build Quality-to-Bundled Accessories perspective, I will give Audeze 8/10 for the total LCDi3 package, I am really happy.

One criticism is that I feel the Cipher V2 cables could’ve been of a higher quality (look and feel wise).

I have also noticed some funny little quirks, for example:

• When placing them down and the ear pieces are close together, the magnetic attraction causes them to slam into each other
• When using the cable clip, the stiffness of the ear piece wires can cause individual ear pieces to lift/unseat itself when moving your head
• There’s no way to change the EQ of the Bluetooth Cipher (Not sure why @Audeze ?)
• When touching the headphones, sometimes I can hear a buzzing sound - apparently static electricity affects them

How have you all been feeling about them, and how do they compare to your other IEMs?

 

[High5ve]

Hi guys,
Does anyone know which Comply foam tip model fits the i3?
Can’t seem to find much info on the websites.

 

[droido256]

You do that with design/engineering, not EQ. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself, but I feel audiophiles want a true signal not artificial one.

Except that will still sound good to some and not others. Ear designs are unique to each person, how the eardrums receive said audio wave is unique to each person. The dsp can tweak things to each person. Design and engineering is for the baseline, not as easily changeable in the final product.

 

[droido256]

Oh my word! Thank you very much for the heads-up though - I thought that my unit had some sort of grounding issue.
Luckily, we do not have any carpets at home but I am wearing a wool jersey today - this can generate static electricity...

@Audeze, is this something I need to worry about?

Metal frames can conduct static or depending on your source could be a grounding issue there or even in the house (if hooked to a wall outlet) i had a similar issue when using the el-8 through my computer. I touched the side buzz! I touched the computer case buzz!!! After my floor fan started rising and lowering in speeds in a consistent pattern, come to find out the main ground to the house from the power company was busted, tore up my driveway to fix it lol. After they fixed that no buzzes. However this may not be your case.

 

[droido256]

Well anxiously awaiting for my lcd-i3’s to come tomorrow..... a um.... hangover induced impulse buy . They will be accompanying my isine 10’s. After I put em through their paces ill be posting my thoughts on them. Then will pit em against the isine 10’s and the LCD-2. Let’s see what these little wonders can do. Those who have them, are the connectors sturdy? Any worries about switching every now and then from the bluetooth to the cipher cable? Those itty bitty pins do make me wonder lol. I havnt been cable swapping with the isine 10. Hell most headphones I plug the cable in, and leave it until it falls apart (thankfully has not happened with any of mine)