Add to Chrome
Add to Edge
Add to Firefox
Add to Opera
Add to Brave
Add to SafariWhen comparing Audeze LCD-4 vs Onkyo W800BT, the Slant community recommends Audeze LCD-4 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Audeze LCD-4 is ranked 46th while Onkyo W800BT is ranked 102nd. The most important reason people chose Audeze LCD-4 is:
The hallmark of the LCD-4's sound signature is the bass. The lower frequencies go quite deep and also have a lot of power. This sound is achieved without bloat or muddiness. Those who prefer powerful yet still fairly accurate bass will definitely love these. The mids are full, clear and are quite forward as well so detail from vocals or guitars can easily be appreciated. The highs take a bit of a back seat. While there is still a good level of detail and resolution on the sound, the highs are not as sparkly or airy as other high end headphones. This can be a good thing for some though as this gives the LCD-4 a smoother sound but with less shimmer up top.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Dark sounding headphones with powerful bass, full mids and slightly recessed highs
The hallmark of the LCD-4's sound signature is the bass. The lower frequencies go quite deep and also have a lot of power. This sound is achieved without bloat or muddiness. Those who prefer powerful yet still fairly accurate bass will definitely love these.
The mids are full, clear and are quite forward as well so detail from vocals or guitars can easily be appreciated.
The highs take a bit of a back seat. While there is still a good level of detail and resolution on the sound, the highs are not as sparkly or airy as other high end headphones. This can be a good thing for some though as this gives the LCD-4 a smoother sound but with less shimmer up top.
Pro Superb build quality
The build is a mix of metal, wood, authentic leather as well as carbon fiber. You can really tell that these headphones are expensive and are built really well.
Pro Soundstage has good width
The open back design gives these headphones good soundstage. Though not the widest, there is a good sense of space and separation to the sound.
Pro Heavy duty detachable cable with solid connectors
The LCD-4's cable is quite thick and hefty which should make it more resistant to breakage and other problems that most thinner cables have. Also, it uses mini XLR connectors which are much more secure as they lock in place.
Pro Ear cups feel really soft and smooth on the skin
It uses authentic leather on the earcups' surface which feel really smooth and supple on the skin. There is also a lot of cushioning thanks to the high quality foam material that is inside the cups. The foam also has acoustic properties that help seal in the sound really well.
Pro Includes a large, hard plastic shell case
The LCD 4 comes with case with ample room and padding inside for the headphones and the cable. While the case will most likely not fit in your travel bag, it will provide plenty of protection to your headphones should you decide to take them out of your home.
Pro Clean and airy highs, warm and natural sounding mids with punchy bass
Instead of being bloated and overpowering, the bass is punchy and fast so while these will not be able to produce a lot of rumble. Thump should be satisfying for most users. The highs are nice and airy with a lot of detail yet never become harsh, so these are not fatiguing to listen to. The mids sound very natural and jump out just enough to make vocals and guitars very easy to hear and appreciate.
These should work best for more vocal and instrument focused genres like jazz, rock, classical and the like. Bass heavy tracks will still sound good with these, though these headphones will not be able to give the deep bass that bass lovers will be after.
Pro Carrying case functions as portable charger
The carrying case has an internal battery, and with a full charge, can supply the headphones with 5 full charges on the go.
Pro Good soundstage width
The soundstage that these produce gives the music an open feel with good instrument separation. This quality will help give the listener an immersive music listening experience.
Cons
Con Very heavy
It weighs around 700 g, and that's without the cable. This makes the LCD-4 one of the heaviest headphones in the market today and will most certainly put quite a strain on your head and neck if you decide to wear these continuously.
Con Leather material on ear cups trap heat
The leather material prevents heat from escaping effectively. This results in heat building up rather quickly around the ears when using the LCD-4, so it's likely that you'll feel uncomfortable after long listening sessions.
Con Requires a powerful amp for optimal volume and sound
Plugging these directly to your computer or smartphone will lead to poor sound, since it requires a powerful amp to get good volume and to output the optimal sound quality that they are capable of producing.
Con Leak a lot of sound
The metal grills on the sides of the earcups do next to nothing to keep the sound within the ear cups. Other people near you will most likely hear what you are listening to.
Con No remote control
The button on the W800BT only allows for powering on or off the device. Users will not be able to adjust volume, play/pause tracks or accept/end calls. This can be quite inconvenient, especially when you need to use the aforementioned functions when on the go.
Con Battery life is not very good
From a full charge, the W800BT can only last around 2 to 3 hours of playback time before you need to put them back into the case to charge.
