LZ-A4 Impressions and Discussion Thread

[Lohb]

 
 
My new therapist 

.

I saw that portable tube amp before, but wasn't it quite sensitive to RFI/EMI and had a high noise floor for IEMs ?

 

[demo-to]

  You could check out the Shanling M1 and Hidiz AP60, if you can get the M1 for your budget (which I think is possible) I'd recommend it over the AP60.

Thx to @crabdog @peter123 for your feedback
Well, I consider to order the Shanling M1 as it seems to have a good Price/Performance Ratio. Two more requests regarding.
1) Do you only recharge it via USB at Computer or other devices? I prefer charging with a 230V power supply with wall adapter. Any hints? I am not sure but I guess I could use my wall adapter USB charger with output 5V 850mA ??? I could not find Input charging Information at Shanling Homepage. Any relating Information ín the user's manual?
2) Read the two Reviews here at head-fi. One says it could cause some sibilance with some earphones. Is the LZ A4 such an earphone (I am operating black black combo)?

 

[loungecat]

Hey Guy's
I have to ask, because that's how you learn.
Do the lz need amplification? I'm running mine from my Dp-x1, they sound great as is. I do however have a head phone amp (cypher labs piccolo), audiophile on a budget that I don't use, and wondered is there any benefits to using it??
Appreciate any technical advice, as I'm starting from the bottom, and have much to learn

 

[Indigo Bob]

 
I saw that portable tube amp before, but wasn't it quite sensitive to RFI/EMI and had a high noise floor for IEMs ?

I listen to it at home and at the library and no problems so far.
 
With the line out, it definitely has a high noise floor.  To use it as a DAC I hook it up to my laptop for that case
 
With the the regular headphone-out the volume is very well controlled and still very well colored.  I like it as a DAC, which has a very lively sound, but I prefer how it colors the x3ii sound on the headphone-out and keeps the natural/neutral openness of the DAP and it's much smoother that way.  With the LZ A4 BLACKb/BLACKf, it is so smooth it relaxes beautifully that way.
 
Could be sensitive to EMI...  haven't heard that yet.

 

[duyu]

   
As nealh said, I think the ideal here is something which gives the black filter's level of bass but with a more open/wider soundstage (which we can achieve by removing the back filters altogether, but that results in a lot more bass, like the red filters plus a bit!)
 
So I suspect we're slightly asking the impossible here, to have the added air of 'no filter' without changing the bass level of the black filter.
Perhaps the answer is to listen to black front, black back - then listen with the back removed and hear the change in soundstage, and see if there's a front/back combination that gives the signature of black/black but with greater width/air.
 
It's a big ask, I think - and please pass on how DELIGHTED so many of us are with his lovely creation!!!!

Same here, I'm unsure whether it is impossible. From my own modification experience, letting more air in creates wider soundstage but also adds bass. Anyway, I'm not an expert to judge.
 
LZ thanked for all the supports he received here.

 

[misteral201103]

  Same here, I'm unsure whether it is impossible. From my own modification experience, letting more air in creates wider soundstage but also adds bass. Anyway, I'm not an expert to judge.
 
LZ thanked for all the supports he received here.

 
Big thanks for passing on our compliments to him! Have a great weekend )

 

[misteral201103]

Hey Guy's
I have to ask, because that's how you learn.
Do the lz need amplification? I'm running mine from my Dp-x1, they sound great as is. I do however have a head phone amp (cypher labs piccolo), audiophile on a budget

that I don't use, and wondered is there any benefits to using it??
Appreciate any technical advice, as I'm starting from the bottom, and have much to learn

 
Since adding an amp to my mobile pack, I always use it by default and feel that a nice amp really improves the sound I get from my Fiio X5. So for me, I'd always use an amp.
And running them from my desktop amp was a whole other level again!
However, I have tried the A4s directly on the X5 and on my phone (HTC One M9) and they still sound superb, so I don't think it's necessary.

 

[loungecat]

Since adding an amp to my mobile pack, I always use it by default and feel that a nice amp really improves the sound I get from my Fiio X5. So for me, I'd always use an amp.
And running them from my desktop amp was a whole other level again!
However, I have tried the A4s directly on the X5 and on my phone (HTC One M9) and they still sound superb, so I don't think it's necessary.

ok thank you very much

 

[peter123]

Thx to @crabdog
 @peter123
 for your feedback
Well, I consider to order the Shanling M1 as it seems to have a good Price/Performance Ratio. Two more requests regarding.
1) Do you only recharge it via USB at Computer or other devices? I prefer charging with a 230V power supply with wall adapter. Any hints? I am not sure but I guess I could use my wall adapter USB charger with output 5V 850mA ??? I could not find Input charging Information at Shanling Homepage. Any relating Information ín the user's manual?
2) Read the two Reviews here at head-fi. One says it could cause some sibilance with some earphones. Is the LZ A4 such an earphone (I am operating black black combo)?

1. I typically use a phone charger with 5V/2A output for all my DAPs, works fine with the M1 as well.

2. I've never notice any harshness with the M1 and certainly not with the A4 but if someone else has it might be a good idea to through in a ymmw here

 

[demo-to]

1. I typically use a phone charger with 5V/2A output for all my DAPs, works fine with the M1 as well.

2. I've never notice any harshness with the M1 and certainly not with the A4 but if someone else has it might be a good idea to through in a ymmw here

I just noticed by going through your impressive inventory list 

you own both the Shanling M1 and the Sony Z3C. Well, I am not sure whether I will short termed convert my CD collection again. Means, I plan to drive Shanling M1 first time with MP3 320k. Considering this, is the Shanling M1 an upgrade to my Sony by using the LZ A4? What are your thoughts? Do you hear differences?

 

[nealh]

Same here, I'm unsure whether it is impossible. From my own modification experience, letting more air in creates wider soundstage but also adds bass. Anyway, I'm not an expert to judge.

LZ thanked for all the supports he received here.

Thank you for being receptive to asking Mr. Zhong. That could have put you in awkward position.
I hope he realizes these are not the man's but just simply questions and requests.
If something is possible, wonderful and if not understandable.

 

[duyu]

Thank you for being receptive to asking Mr. Zhong. That could have put you in awkward position.
I hope he realizes these are not the man's but just simply questions and requests.
If something is possible, wonderful and if not understandable.

No worry. A4's success is largely grounded on the early reviewers' feedbacks of the prototype.
It's pretty amazing that LZ could tune the sound in the way which answered lots of our early criticisms.

 

[peter123]

 
I just noticed by going through your impressive inventory list 

you own both the Shanling M1 and the Sony Z3C. Well, I am not sure whether I will short termed convert my CD collection again. Means, I plan to drive Shanling M1 first time with MP3 320k. Considering this, is the Shanling M1 an upgrade to my Sony by using the LZ A4? What are your thoughts? Do you hear differences?

I'm sorry but the headphone output on my Z3c is broken so I just use it as a transport to the Opus #11 or GO V2+. 

 

[peter123]

  No worry. A4's success is largely grounded on the early reviewers' feedbacks of the prototype.
It's pretty amazing that LZ could tune the sound in the way which answered lots of our early criticisms.

^^This!
 
Fun fact: I tried some of the new filters on my old A4 prototype and it made them sound a good deal better than the filters originally used. If anyone else still has a working prototype around I'd suggest trying it just for fun and to get an impression on how much can actually be changed just by the filters used. 

 

[Dead Ghost]

If i'll decide to buy these, they will be my first IEMs with detachable cables. How good are the MMCX connectors in terms of reliability? If they break, what is more common to break, the female port on the IEM or the male one on the cable?