Audeze - LCDi3

Warning Long Read!
My earliest music experiences are BPL Casette Player, Casette player walkman - with limited selection of albums 'Sunoh', 'Pal', 'Dil to Pagal Hai' / Radio!
Fast forward to college days, mp3s in Laptop speakers, early Sony Walkman series phones and assortment of low budget headphones/earphones. Couple of years ago, i did a good music setup in my Thar with Pioneer DEX PRS 99. However, i still did not try to learn about audio sources and Hi-res audio in detail.
Here is where lockdown came in and i started looking for immersive audio solutions to sooth being 'stuck in'. I started researching into 'Hi-Res' audio and delved deep into basics/concepts.
Step 1: Utilizing the blog in headphonezone, setup TIDAL account - Thanks for that!
Step 2: Deciding whether i needed a personal audio setup (DAP/headphone/earphone) or a speaker (Stereo receiver/ Bookshelf/Tower speakers) setup was easy. Personally i felt DAP/Headphone/Earphone is more bang for the buck to experience hi end audio. I do not need to worry about acoustic setups (indian home/apartments are restrictive here) , expensive speakers, stereo receivers.

Availability of Audiophile grade equipment/information through headphonezone helped me in deciding my audio setup a lot.

Issues to consider:
Audio Source: DAP - i am a casual listener, and do not have ANY hi-res audio files (FLAC, 24-bit & higher) in hard disks. Heck, i do not even know where to source them from - am restricted to use of streaming services. Considering an audio setup will only be as good as the weakest link, i needed to try make use of my iphone or shell out big bucks for a high end DAP (read > 30-60K).
Headphone/IEM: I have a BOSE soundlink bluetooth speaker for a decade now, and got a soundsport wireless two years ago. Have never got into type of drivers - Planar/Dynamic/Tesla, etc. Did a serious read into these for few months since March.
I got a dragon fly red & V Moda closed back to begin with (through HPZ). I thought i can use my iphone by buying a 3k Lightning to USB Adapter to connect to DFR as dac. Surprise - This adapter is not available anywhere in India! (for >6-7 months now)
V Moda Closed back - did not have great resolution, and treble was literally piercing in few songs. I could not wear it for more than 1-2 hours together, got very uncomfortable & ears complained!
I wanted a closed back for better sound isolation, but realized probably open back is good for long listening sessions. Especially when working and listening to songs!

Back to Square 1: I had to now hunt for a good DAP & satisfying Open Back Headphone - Costly! I prefer mobile/minimalist setups, rather than cumbersome Laptop/Phone connected to DAC/Amp to audio device!

This is where LCD i3s came in with their lightning cipher cable! Ordered and received them in a day (yesterday)!

LCD i3:
I could finally connect an IEM to my Iphone to hear Hi-Res Audio through cipher cable! Feel blessed. Been at it since then!
Some of the songs like Yiruma Kiss the Rain, AR Rahman with Alaipayuthey or O Rangrez in Bhaag Milkha- I enjoyed/rediscovered all of them on. EQ through iphone just adds on to the experience even for a casual listener like me, who has little know-how. Clarity is great, and music just 'feels natural'.
Fit/ Comfort: I tend to prefer headphones in general to get that complete experience but on the other hand also want to feel airy/ mobile without having a big equipment strapped on. For those who might be odd like me, LCD i3 is the solution. It is kind of inbetween a headphone/IEM - but offers serious sound experience.
I had no problems in getting the right fit by experimenting with accessory kit. No discomfort even after listening for hours together.
Noise Isolation: None! even conversations nearby are distracting. Definitely cannot be used on a commute of any sorts. Works for me as i tend to be in a room at home for most of my work hours. I can take it along when i get back to treks, trips etc.

Conundrum: I still am undecided on whether i need a DAP or this will suffice. I did not hear 'noticeable' difference when hearing with "Cipher + Iphone" OR "Laptop + DFR". I am sure i probably need a very good DAP/DAC ($$$$) configuration to notice a good improvement over the cipher cable.

P.S: Headphonezone can elaborate further in blogs about routes beginner audiphiles can take. For ex. combinations like Iphone + Isine, etc. OR DAP with IEM pairings, solution with DAP for using streaming apps alone etc. Some of the information available online is either dated/ hard to grasp/ equipment not available in India.
I stumbled on LCD i3 by luck, there might be more out there like me trying to use their iphone/ mobile for hi-res audio than buying a DAP.

I have used the i3s with the cipher cable connected to my iphone. Have’nt used them with the 3.5 mm cable. So my thoughts are only based on the cipher cable. Used the bluetooth cable a little bit but not much.

Initially, I was skeptical about ordering them, due to my experience with iSine10 in the past. While the iSine10 sounded great, the comfort and fit was always a problem. Eventually I had to sell them. The lcd i3 features the same design as the iSine series, hence my hesitation. But I went ahead with the purchase after reading a lot of reviews, none of them mentioned comfort and fit as a pain point. And they were right. The i3s were surprisingly comfortable given their size, thanks to the new ear hooks.

As for the sound, right out of the box, these just blew my mind away with a very open and warm presentation. There are 3 things that make these stand out ,
1. The Bass: The low end on these is well done and stands out from the rest of the spectrum. It has good weight and authority to it and there is a good rumble in the sub bass. While planar bass and dynamic bass have their own pros and cons, if I have to compare the low end of the i3s to that on my campfire atlas, which is huge on bass, the atlas has more bass detail and clarity.
2. The warm presentation: The vocals, particularly male, and the instruments have a good heft to it and that leads to a warmer sound. Songs have a greater emotional impact. Also, the presentation makes them a great option for video viewing as well. They beat the campfire atlas in this area handily.
3. The openness: If you are looking for an IEM with a great soundstage, that alone should be reason enough to get the i3s. They have a very open and airy presentation and an out of the world soundstage for an IEM. In comparison, my atlas sounds more intimate and not as open as the i3.

As for the treble, there is zero sibilance, plenty of details, and more importantly, they do not sound metallic, rather they sound more natural and there is a lot of energy in the high end.

With the bluetooth cable, they sound good and almost identical when connected to an android phone with aptx HD. But for some reason, when i connect them with my iphone over bluetooth, they dont sound as energetic. I have to push the volumes to very high levels. So, I use bluetooth cable only when i want to connect with android.

These have become my go-to pair taking over from the atlas. Though both sound excellent, with the lcd i3, I just need to plug them to my iphone and use apple music, and they sound just as good.

If there is one reason you might want to turn them down,is that they might not be as resolving as some other IEMs at the price range, although there is plenty of details on offer here. Other than that, they excel in pretty much everything and provide a highly exciting and energetic sound which can be highly addicting.

I have used the i3s with the cipher cable connected to my iphone. Have’nt used them with the 3.5 mm cable. So my thoughts are only based on the cipher cable. Used the bluetooth cable a little bit but not much.
Initially, I was skeptical about ordering them, due to my experience with iSine10 in the past. While the iSine10 sounded great, the comfort and fit was always a problem. Eventually I had to sell them. The lcd i3 features the same design as the iSine series, hence my hesitation. But I went ahead with the purchase after reading a lot of reviews, none of them mentioned comfort and fit as a pain point. And they were right. The i3s were surprisingly comfortable given their size, thanks to the new ear hooks.
As for the sound, right out of the box, these just blew my mind away with a very open and warm presentation. There are 3 things that make these stand out ,
1. The Bass: The low end on these is well done and stands out from the rest of the spectrum. It has good weight and authority to it and there is a good rumble in the sub bass. While planar bass and dynamic bass have their own pros and cons, if I have to compare the low end of the i3s to that on my campfire atlas, which is huge on bass, the atlas has more bass detail and clarity.
2. The warm presentation: The vocals, particularly male, and the instruments have a good heft to it and that leads to a warmer sound. Songs have a greater emotional impact. Also, the presentation makes them a great option for video viewing as well. They beat the campfire atlas in this area handily.
3. The openness: If you are looking for an IEM with a great soundstage, that alone should be reason enough to get the i3s. They have a very open and airy presentation and an out of the world soundstage for an IEM. In comparison, my atlas sounds more intimate and not as open as the i3.
As for the treble, there is zero sibilance, plenty of details, and more importantly, they do not sound metallic, rather they sound more natural and there is a lot of energy in the high end.
With the bluetooth cable, they sound good and almost identical when connected to an android phone with aptx HD. But for some reason, when i connect them with my iphone over bluetooth, they dont sound as energetic. I have to push the volumes to very high levels. So, I use bluetooth cable only when i want to connect with android.
These have become my go-to pair taking over from the atlas. Though both sound excellent, with the lcd i3, I just need to plug them to my iphone and use apple music, and they sound just as good.
If there is one reason you might want to turn them down,is that they might not be as resolving as some other IEMs at the price range, although there is plenty of details on offer here. Other than that, they excel in pretty much everything and provide a highly exciting and energetic sound which can be highly addicting.

Audeze LCDi3 IEM is totally out of the world sound experience which I never heard before. It's very well comparability with Google pixel 2 XL aptex HC 24bit. It's with Bluetooth sounding so superb. I heard so...many IEMs but never heard before like this. Thanks for headphones zone for fastest shipping.