Audeze's best — now easier to drive

It's a real treat to listen to Audeze's crown jewel, the LCD-4 planar magnetic headphones. But you do need a robust amplifier — and a strong neck — to enjoy them at their best. The LCD-4z headphones are 15% lighter and much more efficient than the LCD-4 model. You can drive them more easily with a portable music player or smaller headphone amp, yet Audeze explains that they'll deliver the same world-class sound as the LCD-4.

The LCD-4z 'phones feature magnesium earcup rings and a smaller voice coil, but otherwise used the same state-of-the-art driver system. That includes the super-powerful magnet array and extra-thin, nanometer grade diaphragm. But before I get too deep into the "how," I wanted to share some listening impressions from one of our other headphone experts.

Thoughts from Archer — a "seriously into audio" Crutchfield Advisor

Archer is an audio aficianado with wide musical tastes. He uses the Audeze LCD-2s as his everyday headphones, so he has a good baseline for comparison.  

"My setup: custom-built PC, Audioquest DragonFly Black v1.5, Audioengine N22 headphone amp, and tons of free time." - Archer, Crutchfield Advisor

"Hotel California (Live)" — The Eagles

Soundstage and clarity were top notch. Imaging was really nice. Could pick out each vocalist. Drums had their own spot on the stage. Bass was punchy and well-articulated. Not too bright or too warm. Great balance.

Little nuances like the echo of the crowd and vocals were perfect. I could even hear the acoustic guitar resonating.

"Born in Winter" — Gojira

Bass intro was subtle — the way it should be. The drums came in just as easy, which a lot of lesser headphones really struggle with. Vocals were crystal clear, both when they were growled and spoken. I was impressed by the way the drums were presented throughout the song — especially at the crescendo. Really got me into the song.

"Preacher Foretold" — Shawn James

The LCD-4zs kept right up on this mostly a cappella tune. Mr. James's small kick drum and hand claps sounded great. The song was recorded in a very acoustic room, and the echoes didn't drown out the originating vocals. Everything sounded nice and clean. 

"Edge of Darkness" — Greta Van Fleet

Vocals are high pitched, but the headphones kept right up without being piercing. The guitars sounded nice and crunchy. Having seen Greta live, I can attest that these headphones made this song sound eerily similar to how they sounded then.

"Bass Test" — DJ Ice Man J

Ever wanted to get kicked in the head with bass? Yep, that's what happened. Wonderful reproduction of the lows. 

Planar magnetic drivers — the basics

Before I get into what makes the Audeze LCD-4z headphones extra special, let me break down how planar magnetic drivers work. Audeze uses them to create their signature soundstage with a wide-open sense of depth and space. Unlike the dynamic drivers found in most headphones, planar magnetic drivers rely on a really thin diaphragm with a large surface area to generate sound.

A flexible circuit is etched across the entire surface of the diaphragm, which is suspended within a magnetic field. When the circuit receives an audio signal, it causes the diaphragm to move back and forth — moving air and creating sound.

Material science and engineering breakthroughs strengthen the performance

Your Audeze LCD-4z headphones arrive protected in a professional travel case with a heavy-duty, waterproof shell.

For the LCD-4z, Audeze uses their thinnest diaphragm yet. A single strand of human hair is 200 times thicker than the LCD-4z's nanometer grade diaphragm. Take a look at your hair and think about that. (Or if you're in the same boat as me, just imagine what it used to look like.)

Audeze takes that ultra-thin diaphragm and covers it with an aluminum circuit, using a slow and careful process that ensures the light, durable voice coil stays intact through years and years of listening. The voice coil is shorter than the one used in the LCD-4, making this model more effecient. So while these headphones work well with a larger, dedicated amp, you don't necessarily need one. 

Extra-strong magnet array

Each driver uses a double Fluxor™ magnet array to move the diaphragm. This is a patent-pending, custom magnet structure that results in an unheard of amount of magnetic flux. The diaphragm starts and stops incredibly quickly, resulting in true-to-the-recording sound across a wide frequency range.

Precious materials and a premium cable

Audeze assembles each pair of LCD-4z headphones in their California headquarters, and the high-grade parts don't stop with the drivers. The headphone frame and yoke are custom-fabricated from aluminum. The over-padded leather earcups help distribute the weight properly to relieve the stress on your head. The headband is made of carbon-fiber and leather, and it features a split-suspension design.

The LCD-4z also comes with a braided high-quality cable to keep every link in the audio chain strong. This four-conductor cable consists of several strands of silver-plated oxygen-free copper and is terminated by a 1/4" plug. Great care has been taken to preserve the signal and minimize interference.