[1TrickPony]

It's will be really interesting if every A4 owner show here their final favourite combination , , ,

I've leveled up my gear as of late. I've been quiet since my shipped cables haven't arrived. Should've gone Alo cables had I known


I miss my grey and green filters...

 

[SeeSax]

Folks, been on a cable binge lately, just had Ted Allen build me a cable for the A4 (among other IEMs). Solid OCC copper, 2.5mm TRRS plug, no memory wire, for a very reasonable price. Will post photos when I receive it. 
 
I really should just set a recurring weekly payment to Ted lol
 
-Collin-

 

[vaskozl]

  I've got a question about extended listening with the LZ A4 - Have you had any issues with the quantity of Bass dropping off, after listening (not at high volumes) for 16 or 17 hours?
 
When I got home from work on Friday afternoon, I decided to swap to the Gray nozzles, from the Pink nozzles I've been listening to for around a month.
Then I started up UAPP on my DP-X1, and began streaming ThistleRadio [ http://somafm.com/thistle130.pls ].
Later in the evening, I kicked back in my recliner, and slept for a few hours - with the music still streaming, but not loudly.
 
This morning after waking up, I switched the earphone cable over to my Micro iDSD, and started an extended YouTube playlist of Owain Phyfe videos on my PC [ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaDheLY1iiTyzPBs4bhXzv9W6u6aRbXEL ].
Then, at around 13:00 this afternoon, the Bass level in the right earphone suddenly dropped a lot, and the left earphone dropped some.
I removed / re-inserted the earphones, and fiddled with the cable (it's a good Impact Audio cable, with quality Eidolic connectors), and that didn't seem to help much.
Thinking it might be a problem with the audio track, I paused it, and used JRiver MC22 to play a CD that I know has balanced Bass.
There was still a lack of Bass, so I switched over to some other earphones (NiceHCK W1) - and they sound right.
 
I'll let the LZ A4 sit for a while, and then try them again later.

 
I put on my pair today after showering and noticed the exact thing you described after a bit of listening, one side had much less bass than the other. I put them under a light blow drier for 15 minutes with the filters removed and now they are back to normal.

 

[vaskozl]

  Folks, been on a cable binge lately, just had Ted Allen build me a cable for the A4 (among other IEMs). Solid OCC copper, 2.5mm TRRS plug, no memory wire, for a very reasonable price. Will post photos when I receive it. 
 
I really should just set a recurring weekly payment to Ted lol
 
-Collin-

I didn't want to beleive a cable could make a difference over the stock one the LZ A4 comes with so I did some research. I was surprised by what I found.
 
The rule of thumb is that the source impedance should not be higher than 1/8th of the headphone impedance. Especially for balanced armature, lest you form a variable voltage divider that introduces a distorted response.
 
As LZ A4 are ~16 Ohm (anyone actually meassured?) we should be good with a <2 Ohm output impedance amp right? Well I just decided to pull out my Fluke and meassure the resistance of the stock cable. 1.4 Ohms on the channel and 1.0 Ohms on ground, thats 2.4 Ohm extra resistance just from the cable! Add the impedance of the amplifier and you may be experiencing several dB variation in the FR.
 
That and the polycarbonate wrap on the stock cable near the jack has begun to crack, so I've ordered some thicker OCC wire to make some low impedance cables to try and see for myself if there is any gains to be had.
 
Edit: Removed link to former users blog

 

[peter123]

I'd suggest you don't link to that site since I believe it's against the forum rules doing so....

Edit: I can't help to find it funny that you use that site as a alibi for hearing differences between cables. I hardly believe that was the intention when it was written lol

 

[Podster]

I'd suggest you don't link to that site since I believe it's against the forum rules doing so....
 

What, the Forum has rules

Unfortunately I can't post the link to my cable but for an entirely different matter

 

[materix01]

I'd suggest you don't link to that site since I believe it's against the forum rules doing so....

Edit: I can't help to find it funny that you use that site as a alibi for hearing differences between cables. I hardly believe that was the intention when it was written lol

Is there a list of banned sites I can find? Sorry but new the Head-Fi. I did see some sellers that were banned from being linked.

 

[Share2Care]

Good Evening Peeps.
 
Just before I press the trigger on getting a pair of the LZ-A4, I just wanted to check that these will satisy my needs for a variety of frequencies including bass and its family as looking to play plenty of Electronic Dance Music and at least 12 genres beneath that EDM banner. 
 
Can you get better for a similar amount? Many of my tracks incorporate various vocals, instrumentals so bass has its place, required when a tune drops, but not at the sacrifice of my overall sonic experience!
 
Everything is a balance, a compromise so help and advice would be great
 
Thanks for your help!

 

[peter123]

Is there a list of banned sites I can find? Sorry but new the Head-Fi. I did see some sellers that were banned from being linked.

To my knowledge such a list does not exist, unfortunately.....

 

[materix01]

To my knowledge such a list does not exist, unfortunately.....

Thanks for the reply and answer. Appreciate it That's rather inconvenient. How are people meant to know about what's banned if they don't tell you what's banned. Oh well.

 

[vaskozl]

  Good Evening Peeps.
 
Just before I press the trigger on getting a pair of the LZ-A4, I just wanted to check that these will satisy my needs for a variety of frequencies including bass and its family as looking to play plenty of Electronic Dance Music and at least 12 genres beneath that EDM banner. 
 
Can you get better for a similar amount? Many of my tracks incorporate various vocals, instrumentals so bass has its place, required when a tune drops, but not at the sacrifice of my overall sonic experience!
 
Everything is a balance, a compromise so help and advice would be great
 
Thanks for your help!

 
Even with the Red back and pink front the frequency response of the LZ-A4 is not bass aggressive as some other monitors on the market. If you are looking for loud bass on otherwise neutral songs this is not the IEM unless you use an equalizer.
 
That said if you run red or black back (with pink fronts) the bass sounds amazing without being exaggerated (slightly above neutral) while not losing any of the imaging from the mids and highs that make this IEM sound so good.

 

[Share2Care]

   
Even with the Red back and pink front the frequency response of the LZ-A4 is not bass aggressive as some other monitors on the market. If you are looking for loud bass on otherwise neutral songs this is not the IEM unless you use an equalizer.
 
That said if you run red or black back (with pink fronts) the bass sounds amazing without being exaggerated (slightly above neutral) while not losing any of the imaging from the mids and highs that make this IEM sound so good.

 
Thanks for your thoughts. I do not want just bass, I just want to hear it and maybe feel it when a tune drops, or listening to D&B with some lush female vocals.
 
So from reading the last part of your reply, if you match up the filters with a red or black back with a pink front the sound including the bass sounds amazing? 
 
If that is the case I think I will go for it. I have looked at the Rose Cappuccino MKII as they ar meant to be rather impressive, just a fair bit to spend on my first decent IEM, although I am still tempted. Decision decisions! 
 
Cheers

 

[nealh]

   
Thanks for your thoughts. I do not want just bass, I just want to hear it and maybe feel it when a tune drops, or listening to D&B with some lush female vocals.
 
So from reading the last part of your reply, if you match up the filters with a red or black back with a pink front the sound including the bass sounds amazing? 
 
If that is the case I think I will go for it. I have looked at the Rose Cappuccino MKII as they ar meant to be rather impressive, just a fair bit to spend on my first decent IEM, although I am still tempted. Decision decisions! 
 
Cheers

I personally love Black back/Pink front.  The Bass is very good and I imagine even better with the Red back(but too much for me).  Vocals in my opinion are forward, clear and toward the front of your head with Black/Pink combo.  Most feel the soundstage is more intimate and not as spacious.
Black/Black is excellent as well. Vocals are a bit more recessed(feel in my head rather than slightly outside and to the front).  Soundstage is more spacious.  Very nice combo as well.  My second favorite.
 
Eartips are important.  A wide bore tip like a spiral dot works great(as does Auvio tips).  I also like the spinfits as well.  I did not like foam tips as thy take too much away from the higher frequencies.
 
These are my opinions and YMMV

 

[Share2Care]

 
I personally love Black back/Pink front.  The Bass is very good and I imagine even better with the Red back(but too much for me).  Vocals in my opinion are forward, clear and toward the front of your head with Black/Pink combo.  Most feel the soundstage is more intimate and not as spacious.
Black/Black is excellent as well. Vocals are a bit more recessed(feel in my head rather than slightly outside and to the front).  Soundstage is more spacious.  Very nice combo as well.  My second favorite.
 
Eartips are important.  A wide bore tip like a spiral dot works great(as does Auvio tips).  I also like the spinfits as well.  I did not like foam tips as thy take too much away from the higher frequencies.
 
These are my opinions and YMMV

@nealh Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my post with your detailed reply - It is appreciated.
 
I am loving the fact that from looking now at many different IEM's, there does seem to be a slow but sure shift to giving people as much customisation as possible without making our heads explode when we reach 600 combinations! As you say everyone has their own signature and I think stepping into a mid tier IEM like the LZ-A4 would be a damn good place to start me thinks. 
 
I posted on another thread, but if you can go more detailed into tips as I am wondering if I should buy a selection to try out as I have been using I think the small ear pieces on the IE60's I have, but that is a guess. If you were looking to start at day zero of using tips, what type of selection of tips would you purchase to find the tip to match the ear and the IEM?
 
Thanks again for your help and any further advice is much appreciated. The information and support on here tis second to none in my opinion as forums go. 
 
I have also put a wanted ad for a pair of LZ-A4 if someone is looking to move theirs along etc. Based in the UK so local or EU would be best but fine with US/Canada etc.
 
Cheers
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/843264/lz-a4-2ba-balanced-armature-dynamic-driver-hybrid

 

[1TrickPony]

@nealh
 Thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my post with your detailed reply - It is appreciated.

I am loving the fact that from looking now at many different IEM's, there does seem to be a slow but sure shift to giving people as much customisation as possible without making our heads explode when we reach 600 combinations! As you say everyone has their own signature and I think stepping into a mid tier IEM like the LZ-A4 would be a damn good place to start me thinks. 

I posted on another thread, but if you can go more detailed into tips as I am wondering if I should buy a selection to try out as I have been using I think the small ear pieces on the IE60's I have, but that is a guess. If you were looking to start at day zero of using tips, what type of selection of tips would you purchase to find the tip to match the ear and the IEM?

Thanks again for your help and any further advice is much appreciated. The information and support on here tis second to none in my opinion as forums go. 

I have also put a wanted ad for a pair of LZ-A4 if someone is looking to move theirs along etc. Based in the UK so local or EU would be best but fine with US/Canada etc.

Cheers

http://www.head-fi.org/t/843264/lz-a4-2ba-balanced-armature-dynamic-driver-hybrid

try Canuckaudiomart.
I would just go Penon Audio all the way and express ship it.