[Mython]

Going by Joe's review, that sound-sig sounds closer to my personal taste than any other TOTL CIEM I can recall, in the past 18 months or so.
 
Thanks for the review, Joe!

 

[AmberOzL]

  Going by Joe's review, that sound-sig sounds closer to my personal taste than any other TOTL CIEM I can recall, in the past 18 months or so.
 
Thanks for the review, Joe!

The king has been dethroned finally

I remember though, you never really liked the SE5way so maybe this 4.2 is a new target for you? To be honest, I am seriously interested but reading that universal version performs a lot worse than custom one, I really don't know what to do.

 

[shakur1996]

AJ's write up made me wanting this Lear

. I just need to know whether they perform better from EarWerkz Legend and Custom Art Harmony 8 Pro.

 

[Mython]

The downside of the LCM4.2, for me, would be the fact that it is a ported design (those DDs need room to breathe
 
MG6Pro is ported, too, which significantly reduces isolation and, worse than that, they whistle when its a windy day.

 

[Mython]

 
The king has been dethroned finally

I remember though, you never really liked the SE5way so maybe this 4.2 is a new target for you? To be honest, I am seriously interested but reading that universal version performs a lot worse than custom one, I really don't know what to do.

 
 
I like a spacious sound (Miracles are very spacious), with relatively neutral levels of bass and treble, but I don't mind a slight lift in treble as long as the treble is smooth and not fatiguing, and I don't mind a slight lift in the bass, as long as it's in the sub-bass and not the mid-bass. Since the LCM4.2 has user-tunable bass, it's easy to choose a level that suits me.

 

[AmberOzL]

  The downside of the LCM4.2, for me, would be the fact that it is a ported design (those DDs need room to breathe
 
MG6Pro is ported, too, which significantly reduces isolation and, worse than that, they whistle when its a windy day.

AJ says the isolation is on par with standard acrylic customs, despite the port.

 

[average_joe]

  Joe, when the universal one's review will be here? I read not so great things about it and I am actually more interested in universal one than the custom one. Hoping that you would shed some light on these things.

 
Not for a while, possibly early next year.  I can PM you with more info.  I will say it is very tip dependent and with Comply tips it changes the soundstage presentation resulting in an artificial and disproportionate sound.
 

  Going by Joe's review, that sound-sig sounds closer to my personal taste than any other TOTL CIEM I can recall, in the past 18 months or so.
 
Thanks for the review, Joe!

 
Yes, this one is similar to something like the PP6 and PRM, but still different.  And different in a good way
 

  The king has been dethroned finally

I remember though, you never really liked the SE5way so maybe this 4.2 is a new target for you? To be honest, I am seriously interested but reading that universal version performs a lot worse than custom one, I really don't know what to do.

 
Soundstage properties are factored into the score, and the combination of other performance pushed the LCM BD4.2 to the top.  Can I assume your SE5 comment was tongue in cheek?
 

  AJ's write up made me wanting this Lear

. I just need to know whether they perform better from EarWerkz Legend and Custom Art Harmony 8 Pro.

 
All are different and have their various strengths.  Go by preferred sound signature, not "best performance."  Read my "best headphone" article if you haven't yet.
 

  The downside of the LCM4.2, for me, would be the fact that it is a ported design (those DDs need room to breathe
 
MG6Pro is ported, too, which significantly reduces isolation and, worse than that, they whistle when its a windy day.

 
Will check your request when I have the chance….
 

  I like a spacious sound (Miracles are very spacious), with relatively neutral levels of bass and treble, but I don't mind a slight lift in treble as long as the treble is smooth and not fatiguing, and I don't mind a slight lift in the bass, as long as it's in the sub-bass and not the mid-bass. Since the LCM4.2 has user-tunable bass, it's easy to choose a level that suits me.

 
The driver integration and natural ADSR of the Lear across the spectrum are phenomenal!  The SE5 can be fatiguing if your music quality sucks, although you would need many poor quality tracks in a row.  The BD4.2 takes a smoother, more natural approach no matter what, which can be good or bad depending on what you are looking for.  

 

[AmberOzL]

   
Not for a while, possibly early next year.  I can PM you with more info.  I will say it is very tip dependent and with Comply tips it changes the soundstage presentation resulting in an artificial and disproportionate sound.
 
Soundstage properties are factored into the score, and the combination of other performance pushed the LCM BD4.2 to the top.  Can I assume your SE5 comment was tongue in cheek?

Hey Joe, yes to be honest I would like to learn what are the problems with universal version and whether LEAR fixes those problems. I believe, there is a bigger problem than just only tip dependent sound. I also remember reading bad things about the LUF version in Australian tour so I guess while LCM version is perfectly fine, the LUF version has a couple of bad things that LEAR hasn't fixed, yet.
 
As for the SE5way comment, I was kinda joking. Yes I see the overall score is higher but when it comes to that level, it all depends on personal preferences. As I stated before in many places, I love my SE5way, that product opened up my eyes and made me realize what I actually enjoy and look for in audio reproduction. I believe the 4.2 has the answers for me. Laid back spacious sound, adjustable bass levels from mild presence to bone shattering, relatively relaxed and polite treble but still a little brighter than SE5way and generally forgiving signature instead of showing the faults of recordings. Natural approach perfect ADSR. Only if I had cash to burn, I would be ordering it.
 
However, I am still waiting to see how LEAR will fix the LUF versions problems.

 

[Mython]

 
Only if I had cash to burn, I would be ordering it.
 

 
 
Same here, but if you take a look at Lear's website, the 'buy now' button is greyed-out anyway, so now I don't feel quite so bad!

 

[AmberOzL]

   
 
Same here, but if you take a look at Lear's website, the 'buy now' button is greyed-out anyway, so now I don't feel quite so bad!

AJ wrote in his review that you can order buy sending them an email

 

[malifact]

I was interested in the Lear as Joe recommended it to me a few pages back with the Hidition Viento-R.  However, based on Joe's comparison between the two the Viento-R is brighter and I like the fact you can boost the mids as well as the bass.  So I think it's the Viento for me.
 
By the way, does ported design mean the same thing as vented shells?

 

[Mython]

 
AJ wrote in his review that you can order buy sending them an email

 
 
Geeez.... I guess I've been busted!!

 
OK, OK, I admit it - I just read the part of the review that talks about sound quality!!

 

[Mython]

   
By the way, does ported design mean the same thing as vented shells?

 
As I understand it, yes.
 
 
 
And yes, the Viento looks very interesting, too, I agree.  It's a matter of personal taste. For me, I prefer CIEMs which (as much as reasonably possible) sound spacious rather than 'in-your-head'. I find that less fatiguing to listen to.
 
Over-ear headphones are much more capable in that regard, of course, but CIEMs suit my usage because I walk a lot. So, I like to find CIEMs which sound noticeably spacious in their presentation.
 
 
.

 

[AmberOzL]

   
 
Geeez.... I guess I've been busted!!

 
OK, OK, I admit it - I just read the part of the review that talks about sound quality!!

Oh sorry I didn't mean to do that to you

  So, I like to find CIEMs which sound noticeably spacious in their presentation.
 
 
.

Get SA43 or 4.2 as long as the cash flows towards your direction

Honestly if I had cash right here right now I would order 4.2.

 

[shakur1996]

   
All are different and have their various strengths.  Go by preferred sound signature, not "best performance."  Read my "best headphone" article if you haven't yet.

Your point is valid. However, I assess CIEMs from two perspectives:
 
- preferences;
 
- technical capabilities.
 
I used to focus mainly on my preferred sound signature, which of course was changing over time (I started with bassy IEMs, then I moved to analytical Hf3/ER4s and Custom Art Pro210, then I moved to balanced, clear sounding Custom Art Pro330v2 and Cosmic Ears BA4r, now I have natural, organic 5ways). Nowadays I'm focusing more on the technical capabilities, but of course I'm not disregarding the sound signature. Still I can't stand very bright or very dark phones.
By technical capability I mean:
 
- natural/accurate PRaT (5ways are ideal in this respect. I'm a little bit surprised that you wrote that those Lears have very good PRaT because according to Rin Choi measurements it have very short decay. My perspective is that short decay does not equal natural PRaT. But, maybe the fact that Rin Choi measured universal version of those Lears has something to do about this);
 
- instrument separation (after owning 2ways, 3ways and 5ways system I think that the number of ways plays a big role in this respect; I believe that the fact that each driver has its own tube influences intrument separation and as a result micro-details);
 
- resolution; 
 
- bass extension;
 
- highs extension;
 
- dynamics;
 
- clearness of the sounds;
 
- 3D soundstage, with emphasis on deepness;
 
- spaciousness.
 
 
Balanced type of sound, emotional vocals, transparency, agressive/laid back presentation and soundstage width I throw into "preferences" category.