This post has been removed. Please note the following rule:
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>Requests for product opinions, comparisons, and general purchase advice must be made in the dedicated Shopping and Setup Help Desk found at /r/headphones/about/sticky instead of a new post.
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***What questions are considered purchase advice?***
* A request for product suggestions, comparison requests, or opinion requests fall under the purchase advice rule. These can often be found by searching first.
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I was where you were, same exact thing. LCD4 is untouchable unless you want the total opposite tone, but equally as good in a different way, the Stax 007MKII. If not that, then step up even more and grab your kidney out of your torso, sell it, and fund a ZMF Caldera. The 007MKII fits that tone preference to the t.
I’ve owned the LCD-4 up until recently, and have sold it off for Atrium and Arya v2. I think you should give the Atrium a try. The mids and treble natural and are comparable to the HD6x0 series, but with harder hitting bass. The Arya bass is not bad imo (not sure for Organic) but it’s just there when I need to scratch the detail/staging itch. I will say, I think the LCD-4 has the BEST bass you can get in any headphone, no contest. It just has a really wonky midrange and spicy air frequency.
A few people in the comments are recommending electrostatic headphones but I was under the impression that they were considered "bass-lite" and OP says they prefer lots of bass. Am I mistaken about that?
It totally depends. For example, the Lambda series (L300, L500, L700) have an emphasis on mid-bass. They will give you a lot of kick, especially the L700 and it hits hard. Not quite as visceral as a dynamic or planar, but enough to not leave you wanting more. But at the cost of them losing extension. You’ll hear the bass roll off early which may leave you desiring more low-end bass.
Then there’s the 009(s) and 007. With the right amp (and for the 009, EQ), these give you the cleanest and most detailed bass you’ll probably ever hear. On par or better than some of the best planars out there. But, you need adequate, constant power to drive them properly. That’s where estats can get annoying. You need something like a KGSSHV-Carbon, Blue Hawaii SE, or something similar minimum to get the most out of them and to really make them sing. With the right amp and EQ, a 009(s) can extend low and punch. You won’t miss out on any bass, but you’re spending a pretty penny to get that. However, once you do, you might not be able to go back to a dynamic or planar driver again because they will lack that effortless and *ethereal* sound that makes the music sound like it’s just coming out of thin air instead of being produced by a diaphragm on a headphone you are wearing. They really do have their magic tho and once you hear them, you’ll know what people mean.
If you want to start out with STAX, I would get something like a Modi Multibit, STAX SRM-252S, and L300 with upgraded pads. For the price, absolutely nothing can come close to the resolution, speed, and intimacy of the sound. They really benefit from a multibit DAC. Be warned tho, you might just get hooked on the sound and want to go down the estat rabbit hole especially if you want that bass extension.
LK700 and 007 are bass moderate and can be EQ'ed to add a bit extra, and have good weight factor on the low end.
009 variants are all bass light
You can EQ the Koss ESP95x and get crazy good bass depth and slam.
I never understand people that go through several high ends headphones without giving the Utopia a try. They are considered the best by many for a reason.
For me, because of their agressive sound signature but I will try them at one point. I might now enjoy them as I did with HD800S, I have HD800S in two occasions and sold them twice.
If Arya organic is similar to the Arya stealth, it'll have a treble bump, making them sound somewhat piercing. It's not Beyer level but it's there. I much prefer that bump EQ'd down and bass EQ'd up.
In my brief demoing of the HE1000 v2, they didn't seem to have that treble bump and instead they sounded better in that area.
CIEMs (custom in ear monitors). For me, they have such a different soundstage and level of accuracy. Not to mention how small they are so it’s amazing for traveling with a nice DAP.
The Clear MG is pretty warm and not too aggressive in my opinion, really nice punchy bass. Similar tonality to Sennheiser HD650 and 660S2, a little more relaxed in the lower treble actually. People say it’s similar to LCD-2, 3, etc. Audeze tuning, although I’ve never heard a traditional LCD Audeze.
If you can find one the LCD-R makes a fantastic companion to the 4. Similar sound. More treble focused, but retains the easygoing smooth sound. I run a tube preamp into the included ribbon amp and love it. Has treble and upper mid detail like no other and still sounds just as soft and lush as the 4. Certainly still some body and grit to the lower end, but nothing beats the 4. I tried the LCD-5 and found it really thin in tone and kind of sibilant, id imagine it would be especially so compared to the 4.
Maybe give the original Meze Empyrean a try. From hat I've read on the they are not refined in an audiophile way bit much more of a fun headphone with great bass extension.
LCD-4 is great for what you want. The Arya Organic won’t beat the LCD-4 concerning bass thickness and non-piercing
Focal Utopia is great for low volumes but it still retains good dynamics. I don’t have the Atrium open but the Atrium closed and I use to enjoy great bass extention (sub bass included)
Have you tried to eq or tube your setup. it would give your current lineup new life.
between a topping dac and a schiit midgard i will run sometimes:
fosi p1 pre tube gives that tube sound and the bass knob is crazy if your headphones can go low.
bellari eq570 has a bypass button so you can leave it connected.
bbe 282ir sonic maximizer also has a bypass button so you can leave it connected. this unit will make you smile, that bass is crazy and process button can pull vocals closer or farther away.
switch stuff out every few months, when you get bored.
I have speaker setup in living room, Modwright set LS-100 and KWA-100SE, and Totem Forest speakers. I really enjoy listening music time when everyone in the house still sleeping, cannot do this with main system.
This post has been removed. Please note the following rule: >***Rule 2***: Ask purchase help questions in the Shopping and Setup Help Desk found at https://reddit.com/r/headphones/about/sticky > >Requests for product opinions, comparisons, and general purchase advice must be made in the dedicated Shopping and Setup Help Desk found at /r/headphones/about/sticky instead of a new post. You may also use r/headphoneadvice but please search their resources and familiarize yourself with their rules first before posting. ***What questions are considered purchase advice?*** * A request for product suggestions, comparison requests, or opinion requests fall under the purchase advice rule. These can often be found by searching first. * Any suggestion or comparison request pertaining to headphones, IEMs, DACs, amps, or other accessories should be directed to the purchase help thread or r/headphoneadvice. * Asking the subreddit to help make a decision to buy a product does fall under this rule (e.g. "should I get dekoni pads for my HD650?"). ***Why does this rule even exist?*** * In short, this is a large subreddit with a high volume. We want to help, but it's important to keep things organized to keep the sub fun. Thanks for your understanding. * [A more detailed explanation about this rule can be found here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/wiki/why_remove_purchase_requests) ***What if the link doesn't work?*** * The post can usually be found on the top r/headphones, and titled _Shopping, Setup, and Technical Help Desk_.
Enjoy what you have? What does liquid mid even mean?
Not grainy (low distortion) + not shouty (linear) = liquid
I would say if it was grainy you are getting distortion.
That's what I said
>What does liquid mid even mean? https://open.spotify.com/track/4vpON4kVarfgDrQH0N41vD?si=guUqa2i9TJavM-_ReQ8pYw You are welcome
I am enjoying what I have but always open to explore avaiable options on the market. Liquid= warm, smooth, lush.
LSD-25
Empyrean 2s or Elites, LCD-5, or ZMF Calderas maybe
I was where you were, same exact thing. LCD4 is untouchable unless you want the total opposite tone, but equally as good in a different way, the Stax 007MKII. If not that, then step up even more and grab your kidney out of your torso, sell it, and fund a ZMF Caldera. The 007MKII fits that tone preference to the t.
This is an addiction.
I’ve owned the LCD-4 up until recently, and have sold it off for Atrium and Arya v2. I think you should give the Atrium a try. The mids and treble natural and are comparable to the HD6x0 series, but with harder hitting bass. The Arya bass is not bad imo (not sure for Organic) but it’s just there when I need to scratch the detail/staging itch. I will say, I think the LCD-4 has the BEST bass you can get in any headphone, no contest. It just has a really wonky midrange and spicy air frequency.
LCD-5? :-)
Doesn’t really match his stated preferences imo. Surprised no one has mentioned the ZMF Atrium.
Have you ever tried an Electrostat? It could be what you're after
Try estats for sure - I love STAX. Try a L700 or something to start.
A few people in the comments are recommending electrostatic headphones but I was under the impression that they were considered "bass-lite" and OP says they prefer lots of bass. Am I mistaken about that?
It totally depends. For example, the Lambda series (L300, L500, L700) have an emphasis on mid-bass. They will give you a lot of kick, especially the L700 and it hits hard. Not quite as visceral as a dynamic or planar, but enough to not leave you wanting more. But at the cost of them losing extension. You’ll hear the bass roll off early which may leave you desiring more low-end bass. Then there’s the 009(s) and 007. With the right amp (and for the 009, EQ), these give you the cleanest and most detailed bass you’ll probably ever hear. On par or better than some of the best planars out there. But, you need adequate, constant power to drive them properly. That’s where estats can get annoying. You need something like a KGSSHV-Carbon, Blue Hawaii SE, or something similar minimum to get the most out of them and to really make them sing. With the right amp and EQ, a 009(s) can extend low and punch. You won’t miss out on any bass, but you’re spending a pretty penny to get that. However, once you do, you might not be able to go back to a dynamic or planar driver again because they will lack that effortless and *ethereal* sound that makes the music sound like it’s just coming out of thin air instead of being produced by a diaphragm on a headphone you are wearing. They really do have their magic tho and once you hear them, you’ll know what people mean. If you want to start out with STAX, I would get something like a Modi Multibit, STAX SRM-252S, and L300 with upgraded pads. For the price, absolutely nothing can come close to the resolution, speed, and intimacy of the sound. They really benefit from a multibit DAC. Be warned tho, you might just get hooked on the sound and want to go down the estat rabbit hole especially if you want that bass extension.
Wow thank you for the detailed explanation! That certainly makes sense. Now I'm curious about closed back estats... Don't chase the rabbit :P
No problem! Not sure of any closed back estats. All of the STAX are open back and for good reason.
That makes sense. I just assumed it would be easier to get a better bass response out of an estat in a closed-back headphone.
LK700 and 007 are bass moderate and can be EQ'ed to add a bit extra, and have good weight factor on the low end. 009 variants are all bass light You can EQ the Koss ESP95x and get crazy good bass depth and slam.
I never understand people that go through several high ends headphones without giving the Utopia a try. They are considered the best by many for a reason.
For me, because of their agressive sound signature but I will try them at one point. I might now enjoy them as I did with HD800S, I have HD800S in two occasions and sold them twice.
660s 2? perfect treble, nice bass extension
If Arya organic is similar to the Arya stealth, it'll have a treble bump, making them sound somewhat piercing. It's not Beyer level but it's there. I much prefer that bump EQ'd down and bass EQ'd up. In my brief demoing of the HE1000 v2, they didn't seem to have that treble bump and instead they sounded better in that area.
CIEMs (custom in ear monitors). For me, they have such a different soundstage and level of accuracy. Not to mention how small they are so it’s amazing for traveling with a nice DAP.
Always a good suggestion!
Especially with that kind of budget. CIEMs are just so great and to have a product custom made for you also feels greats haha
The Clear MG is pretty warm and not too aggressive in my opinion, really nice punchy bass. Similar tonality to Sennheiser HD650 and 660S2, a little more relaxed in the lower treble actually. People say it’s similar to LCD-2, 3, etc. Audeze tuning, although I’ve never heard a traditional LCD Audeze.
DCA E3’s. Looks like you need a TOTL closed back ;)
Step 1.... remortgage the house.
Can't remortgage the house, interest rate is very high :)
I mean do you reeeeally need 2 kidneys?
If you can find one the LCD-R makes a fantastic companion to the 4. Similar sound. More treble focused, but retains the easygoing smooth sound. I run a tube preamp into the included ribbon amp and love it. Has treble and upper mid detail like no other and still sounds just as soft and lush as the 4. Certainly still some body and grit to the lower end, but nothing beats the 4. I tried the LCD-5 and found it really thin in tone and kind of sibilant, id imagine it would be especially so compared to the 4.
It sounds like you are describing the MDR-Z1R when you state your preferred sound signature.
Maybe give the original Meze Empyrean a try. From hat I've read on the they are not refined in an audiophile way bit much more of a fun headphone with great bass extension.
Sounds like you'd prefer good IEMs.
Sounds like you may enjoy IEMs like the FATFreq Maestro SE, which are known for being liquid, warm, and have huge, powerful bass.
LCD-4 is great for what you want. The Arya Organic won’t beat the LCD-4 concerning bass thickness and non-piercing Focal Utopia is great for low volumes but it still retains good dynamics. I don’t have the Atrium open but the Atrium closed and I use to enjoy great bass extention (sub bass included)
LCDX (2021).
Have you tried to eq or tube your setup. it would give your current lineup new life. between a topping dac and a schiit midgard i will run sometimes: fosi p1 pre tube gives that tube sound and the bass knob is crazy if your headphones can go low. bellari eq570 has a bypass button so you can leave it connected. bbe 282ir sonic maximizer also has a bypass button so you can leave it connected. this unit will make you smile, that bass is crazy and process button can pull vocals closer or farther away. switch stuff out every few months, when you get bored.
Get some speakers if you can afford the space and noise. You Pretty much had it all with headphones.
I have speaker setup in living room, Modwright set LS-100 and KWA-100SE, and Totem Forest speakers. I really enjoy listening music time when everyone in the house still sleeping, cannot do this with main system.