Audeze LCD-MX4 Reviews Compendium
September 28, 2020Compendium updated February 24th, 2021.
In an episode of Futurama, Fry meets God, who imparts this advice: “When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”
It’s the sort of maxim that walks a knife’s edge between Hallmark schlock and real wisdom. It’s also a pretty accurate way to describe the Audeze LCD-MX4 , a headphone that’s so objective, so analytical, so pure that it offers listeners a chance to peer into the source music itself.
Is that a good thing? We’ll let the reviews speak for themselves.
We’ve compiled reviews from across the web for your reference. What you’ll find here are the TLDR versions of the full reviews (which you can access with the provided links). We’ll continue updating this compendium as reviews come in.
From Headfonics' review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on March 30th, 2018:
“Audeze stunned me with the MX4’s excellent treble response, I truly did not expect it and that was a refreshing taste to my ear. I need Audeze to start improving sound staging and imaging as soon as possible. They’ve proven they can up the quality game everywhere else. Let’s shoot for the first true competition to an HD800 in imaging and from Audeze in a Planar! That is my wish for the next flagship from Audeze.
“Beyond that, the comforts of Audeze are all improved and from a purists perspective, the LCD-MX4 is a solid choice for a mixer in the studio. It is a very pure and clean experience that can be harsh when the track calls for it, or exceptionally smooth when the track is recorded as such. It is a real hit and miss for critical listening, but that is how it is supposed to be I guess. From an engineers needy point of view, the MX4 will suit you very well. I’d worry about weight and clamp pressure over time though if I were sitting in a booth for 12 hours a day wearing this headphone.
“Audeze has done well with this model. It really does feel like a hybrid LCD-4/X fusion with some qualities of both. Musicality chasers won’t enjoy this. However, purists and critical listeners will. The tonality of the headphone is hyper-pure and very clean feeling. If anything, I’d want more bass depth and response when things are very low on the track. Perhaps, also, more imaging properties. Good job, Audeze. I’m not a purist and I still enjoyed the MX4 and all it has to offer.”
From CNET's review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on December 29th, 2018:
“The LCD-MX4's low bass power and impact handily trumped the HE1000V2's, but the LCD-MX4 isn't as comfy to wear for extended periods of time. Soundwise I'd sum it up by saying the 'MX4's richer, more natural sound balance clicked for me, both headphones are top shelf performers.
“The Audeze LCD-MX4 is the Audiophiliac high-end headphone of the year, and it certainly is very expensive, but headphones built as well as this and sound like this one are never cheap.”
From Headfonia's review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on May 2nd, 2019:
“Do I like the Audeze LCD-MX4? I do, without any doubt. It’s a great sounding headphone with its own characteristics and positive and negative points but it’s also a headphone that makes all genres sound good. The MX4 is a headphone you can use in the studio but you can also really enjoy it at home and even for non-critical listening.
“The MX4 doesn’t only sound great but it looks great as well and it’s build to last for a very long time, in the toughest of conditions. If you have the budget for the headphone of this level and like the typical Audeze sound in a more neutral form for studio use, then the MX4 is absolutely recommended.
“Admitted, the price is a little steep looking at some of the competitor’s offerings and also in regard to the accessories bundle the Audeze LCD-MX4 comes with, but at the same time you’ll be very happy with what you’ll hear. Just use an amp, and enjoy, produce and mix away.”
From Major HiFi's review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on November 19th, 2017:
“The Audeze LCD-MX4 is smooth like butter. And like a ribbon microphone, it is warm, smooth, and dark overall. It is more comfortable than other Audeze models because its earcups are lightweight in comparison.”
From Hardware Zone's review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on June 23rd, 2019:
“Of the four, I found the Audeze LCD-MX4 to be the most uneven in its tonality because of its erratic treble presentation. I don’t think it’s a huge issue or necessarily a deal breaker but its shortcomings are quite obvious especially if you have a chance to listen to it next to the Meze, Hifiman, or even the MrSpeakers. Piano notes, in particular, have an unnatural timbre to them. On the bright side, even though the LCD-MX4 sounds more neutral in comparison to the older Audeze headphones, it still retains hints of that lush Audeze house sound that the company is so famous for. And so it is one of the more inviting and easy headphones to listen to for long periods. I don’t think it’s the most technically competent headphone but I think many people will like the way it looks and sounds.”
From The Absolute Sound's review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on July 16th, 2018:
“Finally, the LCD-MX4 proved unexpectedly easy to drive. The headphone is sufficiently revealing to be sensitive to amplifier quality, but can be driven by relatively low-powered amplifiers, such as the little iFi Nano iDSD amp/DAC. This is what sets the LCD-MX4 apart from the LCD-4, which can be finicky about amplification and seems to give of its best when pushed with a generous amount of power.
“Audeze’s LCD-MX4 is a different and very satisfying kind of high-end headphone. It offers much of the resolution and finesse of the firm’s top LCD-4, but in a lighter and more comfortable package that is—to a ‘just right’ degree—more tolerant of source and amplification components, as well as of less-than-perfect recordings. Well done!”
From Z Reviews' review of the Audeze LCD-MX4 , first published on August 6th, 2019:
Editor’s note: Emphases ours.