When comparing Turtle Beach XO Three vs Audeze LCD-4, 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 Turtle Beach XO Three is ranked 54th. 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
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Pros
Pro Decent sound, build quality and surround sound at a budget price
The XO Three is an affordable headset, but still offers a decent feature set. You get a neutral sounding headset with Windows Sonic surround. The mic produces clear audio while the build quality is pretty good despite the all-plastic build. This is a great choice for those who want a dedicated gaming headset for their Xbox One without spending a lot of money.
Pro Good build quality
These XO Three should be able to withstand normal everyday use with no problems whatsoever. While the headset is made of plastic, the headset does not make a lot of unnecessary creaks and flex, which is great for a budget headset.
Pro Neutral sound
The XO Three sounds pretty balanced, which is quite unusual for budget gaming headsets, which tend to be bass heavy. The bass is not overpowering, the mids sound natural while the highs are slightly recessed. The XO Three sounds pretty laid back, so you get a decent amount of detail, and okay bass punch, without the low-end muddying up the overall sound. As a result, explosions don’t sound very powerful, yet you’ll get to hear high-pitched sound effects, in-game dialogue and voice chats easily.
Pro Windows Sonic enhances immersion and bass response
The XO Three’s audio output can sound more immersive with Windows Sonic activated. This is Microsoft’s surround sound tech for the Xbox One, so you’ll get a wider soundstage with improved sound separation and directional audio.
The Windows Sonic feature also has the added benefit of slightly boosting the bass so explosions, gunshots and low-pitched sound effects will get added punch.
Pro Good microphone audio quality
Your voice chats will sound clear with this headset. Despite the affordable price, the XO Three’s mic actually produces clear and crisp audio, with good body. Your voice won’t sound tinny, yet should also cut through in-game audio pretty well.
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.
Cons
Con Surround sound improvement is not substantial
While the Windows Sonic surround option does add a surround sound feel, the width of the sound does not drastically increase. You may find that the audio is not as immersive as you expected it to be.
Con The headset may sound unexciting
The neutral sound signature may make the audio sound quite boring. Explosions won’t sound very powerful, and some game audio details won’t be easily heard.
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.