Audeze LCD-4z Headphones Review — Headfonics

Today, Marcus reviews the Audeze LCD-4z, a high-end, open, low-impedance planar headphone designed for portable, home or studio use. Priced at $3995.00.

Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. I am grateful to the Headfonics team for their feedback. Audéze for your support.

Click here to read more about the Audéze products we have previously reviewed at Headfonics.

Please note that this review follows our current Scoring Guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.

The Audeze LCD-4z open-back planar headphones were released about 6 years ago, but have largely flown under the radar despite their lofty status as one of the company's flagship offerings.

Models like the renewed one LCD-5 and electrostatics CRBN have garnered the most recent attention and even the oldest original LCD-4 It still resonates favorably.

In reality, that shouldn't be the case, even now in 2024. The LCD-4z captures the easy-to-use spirit of the LCD-5, is as comfortable or more so than the LCD-4, and offers one of the company's most neutral-sounding high-end tunings—a trait that has found a natural home among the pro audio community.

You could say that this flagship model, priced at $3,995, incorporates many aspects of what I would call Audeze's “old” style. However, that's not a bad thing at all. In fact, it remains one of their best-looking models, in my opinion.

So is the LCD-5 or LCD-4 worth your mainstream attention and money, or is the LCD-4z a contender 6 years later? I uncover the pros and cons of this dark horse in my full review and comparisons below.

Characteristics

The Audeze LCD-4z are open-back headphones equipped with the company’s larger 106mm planar driver format and surrounded by a dual Fluxor™ N50 neodymium magnet array rather than a single-sided one.

In addition to the larger driver size, it is also differentiated from the LCD-5 by its Nano-Scale Uniforce™ diaphragm, one of the earlier iterations before Audeze released its new Parallel voice coil.

Both the old and new versions still use the current version of Audeze's Fazor waveguide technology. However, the LCD-4z's waveguide is not located inside the earcups and has a narrower gap between the magnets and voice coil than the LCD-5's.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the LCD-4z is how easy it is to drive. This is somewhat ironic considering that the new LCD-5 was presented as being much easier to drive than the LCD-4, an advantage that the LCD-4z already possessed.

At 15 Ω compared to the 200 Ω of the LCD-4's aluminum trace driver and just 1 Ω more than the LCD-5, it is one of the company's most efficient models currently on sale. Laptops will be able to drive the LCD-4z with a maximum power rating of less than 250 mW.

With a sound pressure level of 98 dB/1 mW, the LCD-4z is more sensitive on paper than the LCD-5's 90 dB/1 mW reference measurement, although it is by no means Audeze's most sensitive model on the market. For example, the slightly cheaper model LCD-MX4 It has a rated power of 105 dB/1 mW but with a higher rated power of 20 Ω.

Design

The aesthetics of the LCD-4z are magnificent even though it is technically an older design version compared to the LCD-5 and the MM-500.

There's something about that hint of gold seeping under the narrow grille space combined with the shine of the similarly gold-accented adjustment rods and pivot blocks that gives it a “cool” vibe.

The LCD-5 is a completely new design concept, it's the smaller and lighter of the two at 420g instead of 540g, so you have to think of the LCD-4z's form factor as a classic LCD-type shape, with the LCD-MX4 being its closest relative stylistically.

Classic means you get the older yoke and adjustment temple assembly with a glossy carbon fiber headband and a wider vented leather strap underneath.

The chassis and yoke are constructed from cast magnesium, which is 25% lighter than the original LCD-4 design, and are finished in black with some eye-catching decals on the yoke arches in white.

The integrated Mini-XLR connectors are centrally located on the side of the cup rather than being mounted at the rear at a forward angle to ensure that connected cables avoid potential obstructions or lying uncomfortably on your person during use.

I also looked at some of the marketing materials from the original release of the LCD-4z and noticed that the design has gone through some nuanced changes over the years.

For example, I saw some early images of the 2018 LCD-4z with different mesh grilles, ear cushions, and without the last version's central stabilizing “bridge” on the carbon fiber headband.

Comfort

Yes, the LCD-4z weigh 560g, so they are by no means lightweight headphones, especially compared to the LCD-5.

However, before you start talking about comfort memes, let me just say that the combination of the wide ventilation pressure strap and soft leather ear cushions make for a very comfortable real-world wearing experience.

Of course, if you're not used to the weight of a headset in the LCD class, the thickness of the LCD-4z can be surprising. They are heavy and you'll notice that weight on your head.

However, the way Audeze has designed the pressure distribution of the earcups makes them one of the most comfortable Audeze LCD-class offerings on my head for longer listening sessions.

My experience with the LCD-5's stronger grip and initial use of the ribbed ear cushion design makes the comfort of the LCD-4z's softer, rounder ear cushions more immediately pleasing. Plus, the additional weight reduction compared to the LCD-4, from 690g to 540g, is noticeable.

The overall fit certainly feels secure under vigorous movement, a trait that helps me understand why the LCD-4z has some appeal to the pro audio community beyond sound signature and impedance levels.

Serial cable

The LCD-4z is one of the few Audeze headphones I've received for review that comes with a 4-pin balanced XLR cable.

More than that, it also comes with a similarly wired 4-pin XLR to 6.35mm adapter for single-ended use, something I doubt I'll use much in my system setup, but much appreciated nonetheless for compatibility with older SE tube amps.

I must qualify all the above praise with the fact that Audeze has been quietly updating its product offering with similar balanced cable and adapter bundles.

For example, the LCD-5 I reviewed a few years ago came with a 6.35 SE termination by default. This has now been replaced with the same factory balanced cable and connector as the LCD-4z.

The cable wiring is consistent with 20 AWG high purity directional OCC copper on the inside, Rean branded mini-XLR connectors and Neutrik connectors on the opposite side. It has the same geometry, wiring and connectors as the accompanying short adapter cable.

Like the stock LCD-5 cable, the LCD-4z version has a nice two-tone black and copper finish on its braided jacket and is fairly unobtrusive, i.e. not too thick or unwieldy. It also handles well with little memory retention and no unwanted microphonics.

Packaging and accessories

The LCD-4z's packaging has been revamped since its release in 2018. Gone is the larger, somewhat flatter and curvier carrying case, replaced by the more square standard travel case used with most models in the LCD series, except for the LCD-5's high-end aluminum case.

This case has a slightly different design than the aluminum travel case, although the mechanics and internal foam lining follow a similar pattern.

I can't say if it's weatherproof like the Premium Travel Case, but it does have a sturdy exterior finish. It also includes a set of small keys to close the case, which is pretty handy considering the price of the headphones.

In addition to the keys, you also get a warranty card in a separate thin foam slot next to the original cable, but it does not include LCD-5 white cotton gloves.

Click to page 2 below to read my sound impressions and recommended combinations.

Click to page 3 below to read my selected comparisons.

Sharing is caring!