Feb 27, 2024 at 7:32 AM Post #1,036 of 1,067
A used i4 is only around €3-500 more than a used i3. These iems really don't have have driver failure from all finding I've seen. Mine has lasted 4 years. The difference between the 3 and 4 once you correctly use auto eq 20-6000hz is about 25% improvement in performance. The i4 is far more effortless in its presentation than the 3, much like the lcd4 is once corrected. Its like the difference between a almost spotless window, and no window at all. Like the driver is completly imperceptible, or is ethereal like a E-stat. None of these iems should be used without serious EQ like a qudelix. Their defult FR's are abominable, but the i3s is noticeably better than the i4. Like going from a E to a D+. Technical performance wise, it's going from a S- to a S+. For such a small difference on the used market, that is worth the jump every time, but absolutely not for $1500 more brand new. Its not that large.
agree with everything you wrote, except the eq thing, as i think frequency response is mostly a personal thing and a matter of preferences and taste.
 
Apr 8, 2024 at 8:12 AM Post #1,038 of 1,067
That's the upgrade I made.
For me the only one that's worth it.
 
Apr 9, 2024 at 2:35 AM Post #1,040 of 1,067
Yes
 
Apr 12, 2024 at 3:01 AM Post #1,041 of 1,067
Happy owner of lcdi3. Looking for possible upgrade. Any suggestions? I know lcdi4 is a natural option but I use them mostly on the go.
So lcdi3 to me sounded like an LCDX more than an LCD3. If you can stand a bit smaller stage I'd definitely try a 64 Audio Duo
 
Dec 7, 2024 at 3:13 PM Post #1,045 of 1,067
greetings

Any way to connect the ilcd3 to my iphone 16 pro max using the cipher cable

@Audeze
This works for me, but it looks like it's out of stock. You might try the official Apple one.
 
Dec 7, 2024 at 5:19 PM Post #1,047 of 1,067
Dec 7, 2024 at 6:58 PM Post #1,049 of 1,067
Jan 11, 2025 at 7:18 PM Post #1,050 of 1,067
Man, I had the LCDi3 back in the day, sold them a couple of years back. My ears just weren’t seasoned like they are now, I wasn’t clocking the subtle differences in frequency, the resonances, all that fine detail like I do now. Growth is real.

Fast forward, I’ve been dabbling in the high end game, dropping stacks on IEMs in the £1k to £3k range. My current rotation’s headlined by the Final Audio A8000.

But in all that, the LCDi3 stayed on my mind. None of the IEMs I’ve tried, even the semi-open ones, hit me with that epic soundstage - width, depth, that spaciousness between instruments, that the i3 delivered. It’s like a level no one’s touched.

So when I saw a deal for £350, I had to run it back. Been two weeks with them now, breaking it down, analyzing every nuance of the sound. And man, I was straight-up dumb for letting these go. The LCDi3 is on another level.

Back then, I got caught up in the chatter—folks talking about how they had to be EQ’d. So instead of vibing, I was stuck chasing EQ profiles. Rookie move.

Now, running these stock, 3.5mm cable straight into my Astell & Kern CA1000 and Hifiman Serenade DAC, no EQ it’s like I’m rediscovering them. They’re beyond what I remembered.

Only downside? The hooks are poor, kept breaking on me. Had to buy 10 extra pairs like a maniac. But for this sound? Worth it.
 
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