A new contender has joined Audeze’s LCD line of high-end headphones, the LCD-MX4.
The LCD-MX4 are a pair of open-backed headphones driven by Audeze’s patented Fluxor planar magnet design, which Audeze claims a frequency response of 5Hz to 20kHz extended out to 50kHz. The headphones push 1.5 Tesla (a unit of magnetic measurement) on the 20 ohm impedance, which means the headphones can be used without the need for a headphone amp, making them compatible with everything from studio equipment to even laptops. It’s an impressive list of specs, to be sure, and seems to be in keeping with the high-performance of previous LCD headphones we’ve checked out, such as the LCD-3 and LCD Sine.
The MX4’s exterior is also impressive. The ear cups are crafted with durable magnesium housings and padded with leather, while the headband is built from carbon fiber. The MXAs are also the lightest pair of headphones in Audeze’s LCD line, making them more portable than previous models.
In addition to the LCD-MX4 announcement, Audeze has also announced a new set of free plug-ins known as Reveal, designed for mixing and mastering with the MX4 on Windows 7 and above, and MacOS 10.10 and up. The company claims that the Reveal plugins will “enhance the music creation experience with Audeze Headphones,” thanks to specific presets that “are not meant to fix any issues, but rather to enhance the listener’s experience” by mimicking the acoustic properties of reference studio monitors in acoustically treated rooms. That said, Audeze is confident that users will enjoy listening and mixing/mastering even without the presets enabled.
Reveal is available now in AU, VST, or AAX formats, making the plugins compatible with most digital audio workstations and playback software. You can download it from Audeze’s official Reveal page.
You can pick up a pair of these for a cool $2,995 from Audeze’s online store, or select dealers. The package include a quarter-inch to dual 4-pin mini XLR cable and a travel case. Should you decide to buy directly from Audeze, the company provides a 30-day trial period for checking out the headphones, and will let you return them for a full refund in case you’re not happy with them, which makes the idea of shelling out three grand a little more palatable.
