Audeze LCD-i3 Initial Impressions

Submitted by stankworm t3_121y53v in headphones

Pros:

Sound great WITH EQ, definitely leans warm (it's an Audeze)

Similarly open-sounding to open back headphones but with better portability

Come with bluetooth cable

Sound leak - nearly imperceptible at anything beyond ~4 feet at close to my maximum comfortable listening volume. If you've used open back headphones this is a clear cut improvement on overall sound leakage by a longshot.

Isolation - good if you want/need some level of awareness of your surroundings

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Cons:

EQ is required as the stock tuning is just all kinds of wonky (though I've heard the cypher cable fixes this, can't speak on that personally as I've not been able to try it yet

Fit can be tricky as the ear hooks are stiff and offer very little adjustment and the nozzles are a bit thick

Sound leak - if you're closer than that ~4 foot mark to others like mentioned above then this could also be a con

Isolation - bad if you're in a noisy environment in which you don't need to be aware of your surroundings

EDIT: another con for fit is that it's a bit strange having the cable tickling your earlobe when shifting around. Not the biggest deal but figured I'd throw it in there after having the cable tickle my ear immediately after clicking "Post".

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Comments

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neliste t1_jdo42ri wrote

iSine10 was the reason why I purchase qudelix back then. Since you can use PEQ to get same effects of cipher cable.

Been using EQ too for my i4, but eventually I prefer sound from HiBy's MSEB more since it's easier to tweak.

But yeah isolation is great! As in because there's no isolation haha
Being able to hear things around you is great, also the 4 foot mark made it perfect for office use!

My only concern is probably the earhook, if only there's unofficial one.

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stankworm OP t1_jdo4pya wrote

Yea there may be something aftermarket out there to improve the hook fit. Not sure these have been particularly big sellers for Audeze so not sure how much aftermarket support they have. Something to look into though!

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neliste t1_jdo5gfq wrote

They do have spares for it, but only selling them in bundle.
So when you only need M size hook, you will also have to purchase S size. So wasteful.

Well not like I have another option, since there's nothing else like LCD i3/i4 haha.

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shnaperz t1_jduxj7s wrote

Ever since somebody told me about the earfins off the Audeze accessory kit, I've been happy using my iSine20 with good fitment and no ear irritation. Give that a try.

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stankworm OP t1_jdv6564 wrote

I’ve actually found the included ear fins to be a much better fit too. It feels a little strange not having anything around the back side of my ear but at the same time more comfortable than any other IEM I’ve tried.

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Ashamed-Situation665 t1_je9t8ws wrote

i listen to mine wired to a topping g5 and dont feel any need to eq them. they are not even for sure, but so good sounding as a whole, no need to optimzie at all. with the bt dac it is another thing tho. too much smoothed out for my liking. but every one has different ears.

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stankworm OP t1_jea2ka6 wrote

It’s very possible I just immediately rejected their stock sound because I’m used to very well balanced headphones. I’m sure I could adjust to them over time but in terms of immediate enjoyment I prefer them with some EQ.

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