[Lawdawgdg]

Just purchased a Mytek Manhattan II for use in my home's distributed audio system. With its network card and MQA decoder, I stream Tidal lossless and MQA Master tracks to an Audio Control P800 multi-channel amp that provides great music throughout our house. The idea is pleasant background music.

I also have a dedicated media room with ultra-expensive tube audio equipment and high-end speakers for critical listening.

But to my surprise, my favorite way to listen these days is through my Audeze LCD-X headphones plugged into the Mytek. The Manhattan II has a balanced Class A reference headphone amp built in, with separate volume controls and power supply. Incredible sound. I have a Moon Audio Black Dragon headphone cable with double TRS pins that allows me to use the headphones in balanced mode with the Mytek. I'm not new to very high-end audiophile components, but this is the first time I have heard a one-box system with headphones that actually rivals the high-end media room equipment I am most familiar with. I'm impressed enough that I want to hear it in combination with Audeze's new LCD-4z headphones to see if there is any discernible improvement. Who knew headphones could be this good?

BTW, Mytek has superb customer support. Good guys who will take as much time as necessary to help their customers.

For the record, I do not work in the audio industry. I am an attorney, and not affiliated with Mytek in any way, other than as a very satisfied customer. If you are looking for a world class DAC with MQA capability, together with a superb headphone amp, you might want to take a Manhattan II for a test drive.

 

[buke9]

To me the LCD-4’s are much better than the X but have not heard the new 4z but doubt that it not as good as the original.

 

[Lawdawgdg]

I spoke with Michal, the owner of Mytek, and he has tried a lot of different headphones with both the Brooklyn and Manhattan II DACs. He likes the X, and even more the 4z. The Mytek Manhattan II headphone amp will easily drive any Audeze model, but he thought the X was surprisingly close to the original 4. I guess what he said was he didn't see a couple of thousand dollars difference. I like the X, but since I started this thread I have purchased the 4z. I live on an Island, so pretty hard to A-B anything... without buying it first, anyway. So leap of faith, but I'm comfortable with it. In a few days, I'll know. I have a friend who will love the X as a gift, so hopefully everyone will be happy!

 

[Lawdawgdg]

Once the new headphones arrive, if anyone is interested, I can post my impressions comparing the LCD-X with the LCD-4z using the Mytek DAC/amp streaming lossless audio and MQA tracks.

 

[tmaxx123]

Once the new headphones arrive, if anyone is interested, I can post my impressions comparing the LCD-X with the LCD-4z using the Mytek DAC/amp streaming lossless audio and MQA tracks.

Any updates?

 

[Lawdawgdg]

Any updates?

The 4z headphones did arrive, and I was surprised how much they resembled the X. Many of the same specifications and components. Both are planar magnetic with open backs. Same size cups and ultra-thin mylar diaphragms (although the 4z does have fazors and magnets on both sides of the diaphragm, which really takes control of music reproduction over the entire spectrum). I like the look of the 4z a little better; a little flashier with the gold accents. And they are much lighter, so easier to wear for long sessions, but I do like the X headband material (padded) better than the 4z (unpadded).

But of course, the sound is what makes Audeze such great headphones. For my money, there is nothing like planar magnetic headphones. I will start by saying I have liked the X from the beginning, and I still do. I think it is an amazing bargain at current prices, especially if you don't need a case. They have excellent bass, good mid-range and upper end, and good resolution. Definitely great bang for the buck. The problem with this comparison is they are going up against what is arguably the best headphones in the world. The 4z does everything the X can, but even better. The bass is tighter, the mid-range and treble have better resolution, the stage is huge and deeper, and the musical detail is astounding. I heard nuances in the music I had only heard before in my dedicated high-end media room. I have to tell you, it wasn't long after I bought the X that I bought the 4z on a whim (and because I can), but if I had never heard the 4z, I would probably have been content for a long time with the X. But after hearing the 4z, I can never go back.

So is the 4z worth $4k? Yes. And no. Yes, if you can afford the very best, including a high-end streaming DAC that decodes MQA and a Class A headphone amp. No, if they are too much of a stretch for your budget, or you do not want to invest in the quality components you will need to take advantage of the 4z's capabilities. For example, when I use the standard Audeze headphone cable and plug the phones back-to-back into my PC headphone jack while playing standard tracks, the 4z is better, but not $3000 better. However, if I use my Moon Audio balanced cable plugged into my Mytek Manhattan II streaming DAC/Class A headphone amp playing Tidal MQA tracks, the difference is much greater. The X sounds like excellent headphones playing lossless audio -- the 4z sounds like a live performance with all the separation, nuance, and detail that implies.

Bottom line: LCD-X are excellent headphones, better than most people listen to. The LCD-4z are state of the art that represent everything we know about reproducing music through headphones. Like all hi-fi equipment, the last 20%, 10%, 5% in performance always costs exponentially more than the first 80%, 90%, 95%, etc. My Mytek DAC/Amp, LCD-4z, and Moon cable cost just over $12k. So not dirt cheap as headphone setups go. But it performs roughly on par with my media room vacuum tube equipment that cost well into six figures, so in that context a real bargain.

I guess I would sum it up this way. On those evenings when I listen to lossless audio tracks with my Mytek / 4z system, I get lost in the music, and often lose track of time until it is well past midnight -- and even then I don't want to stop listening. What more is there to say?

 

[tmaxx123]

The 4z headphones did arrive, and I was surprised how much they resembled the X. Many of the same specifications and components. Both are planar magnetic with open backs. Same size cups and ultra-thin mylar diaphragms (although the 4z does have fazors and magnets on both sides of the diaphragm, which really takes control of music reproduction over the entire spectrum). I like the look of the 4z a little better; a little flashier with the gold accents. And they are much lighter, so easier to wear for long sessions, but I do like the X headband material (padded) better than the 4z (unpadded).

But of course, the sound is what makes Audeze such great headphones. For my money, there is nothing like planar magnetic headphones. I will start by saying I have liked the X from the beginning, and I still do. I think it is an amazing bargain at current prices, especially if you don't need a case. They have excellent bass, good mid-range and upper end, and good resolution. Definitely great bang for the buck. The problem with this comparison is they are going up against what is arguably the best headphones in the world. The 4z does everything the X can, but even better. The bass is tighter, the mid-range and treble have better resolution, the stage is huge and deeper, and the musical detail is astounding. I heard nuances in the music I had only heard before in my dedicated high-end media room. I have to tell you, it wasn't long after I bought the X that I bought the 4z on a whim (and because I can), but if I had never heard the 4z, I would probably have been content for a long time with the X. But after hearing the 4z, I can never go back.

So is the 4z worth $4k? Yes. And no. Yes, if you can afford the very best, including a high-end streaming DAC that decodes MQA and a Class A headphone amp. No, if they are too much of a stretch for your budget, or you do not want to invest in the quality components you will need to take advantage of the 4z's capabilities. For example, when I use the standard Audeze headphone cable and plug the phones back-to-back into my PC headphone jack while playing standard tracks, the 4z is better, but not $3000 better. However, if I use my Moon Audio balanced cable plugged into my Mytek Manhattan II streaming DAC/Class A headphone amp playing Tidal MQA tracks, the difference is much greater. The X sounds like excellent headphones playing lossless audio -- the 4z sounds like a live performance with all the separation, nuance, and detail that implies.

Bottom line: LCD-X are excellent headphones, better than most people listen to. The LCD-4z are state of the art that represent everything we know about reproducing music through headphones. Like all hi-fi equipment, the last 20%, 10%, 5% in performance always costs exponentially more than the first 80%, 90%, 95%, etc. My Mytek DAC/Amp, LCD-4z, and Moon cable cost just over $12k. So not dirt cheap as headphone setups go. But it performs roughly on par with my media room vacuum tube equipment that cost well into six figures, so in that context a real bargain.

I guess I would sum it up this way. On those evenings when I listen to lossless audio tracks with my Mytek / 4z system, I get lost in the music, and often lose track of time until it is well past midnight -- and even then I don't want to stop listening. What more is there to say?

Wow, thanks!