There’s an app for that. I use a few free dB meters for my iPhone, and the Apple Watch has a bundled dB meter to protect hearing (thank you Nanny). These may not be as good as a dedicated and calibrated meter, but the values are consistent over time and with other Apple devices.
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Yeah, I’m aware of those just haven’t gotten around to monkeying with them yet.
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If using a phone SPL meter, might be a good idea to add 5-10db to the measured result. Just to be safe.
I’ve found it depends on method. With speakers I just hold my watch/phone a few inches in front of my face with the mic pointing between the speakers. The dB readings are extremely consistent, as my speakers are 8+ feet away. With headphones, the readings depend heavily on method. I stuff the phone into the ear cups to approximate the position of the ear, and compare the perceived loudness against my speakers. All of my observed music readings range from 55 dB to 80 dB (but rarely that high – mostly 60 to 75 dB).
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As BuffaloWing said, around 85db. I normally listen pretty low level, around 75ishdb so having to go up to 82-85db was unusual for me, but it really did sound much different at a higher volume vs lower volume.
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Yes it is. I’m loving it so far. Best solid-state experience in a long time.
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Well, sadly I decided to cancel my LCD-5 order. I want to be clear I’m not mad or upset at Audeze or headphones.com team or anyone else.
Just that I was leaving on a longer trip in november, hoping to take the LCD-5 with me. I also have a big (wide) head and figured I’d have to wait the couple months for the larger headbands before they were comfortable for long sessions. I’d missed out on the first shipment due to when I ordered. Its a bummer, but I will probably circle back to the LCD-5 once production has ramped up in 2022.
Thanks to the headphones.com team for the hassle free refund and cancellation, you dudes all rock 
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Has there been speculation as to when that option is gonna be available. You’d think they would have made a “larger” can given that the “smallness” of the LCD5 is repeatedly cited as a potential comfort issue. Maybe trying to win over the crowd with a typically un-Audeze weight, then modify later??
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Links to the posts in the HF thread are below. I don’t think the headband clamp has anything to do with size or swaying people to buy them vs weight. Its likely just an option for people with big heads, so they can have less clamp force, which has nothing to do with the size of the headphone.
Also, due to the pad design, which obviously has been done for sonics, there is less actual pad surface area taking the clamp force, which will make it seem tighter than it might actually be. This was also a problem with the Diana V2 and Phi, which has been solved either by the DMS modded pads, or the new pads they released a month or so ago.
also
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yeah, I’m going to wait to hear them and for the “big a** head” edition. Maybe I can convince Audeze to let me be a beta test?.. I think my head is big and round enough to qualify as a test case. 
In the meantime, I’m going to keep an eye out for a LCD-4 deal
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How good of a deal? Might be selling my Maple LCD-4 if LCD-5 ever arrives for me.
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As I’ve said before, I’ve got a big head, but sadly not similarly large brains to fill it! lol.
Good plan, there seem to have been a few LCD-4 deals lately on the used market. You may find there are some in Audeze’s b-stock sale, from their trade in offer for owners to upgrade to the LCD5, which will likely have been fully refurbished . Entirely guesswork on my part, however
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One thing about the clamp, while it’s initially quite noticeable, as the pads settle in on your head it sort of goes away a bit after 15 minutes - at least for me. It’s even less of an issue when I’m not wearing my glasses. Also, keep in mind that bass extension on the LCD-5 does depend on getting a seal, and so you don’t want it to fit too loose. So while I think I’m still a candidate for the big-head headband, I’d imagine that for most people the default clamp will be more appropriate.
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I have a big head and have had these for 3 weeks (supposedly in the first group sent out) and the clamp force is now just a little bit bothersome and only a shade of what it was originally. And it is not that I have gotten used to it because I was listening to the estat Carbon’s at the same time and the SR900s both of which are unbelievably comfortable IMHO. I just think these loosen up quite a bit. But if you have any concerns I would wait. These should be comfortable. I love the detail coupled with the bass. It is close to my ideal.
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I just used both of these and metal’s is more fun but too much fun. Did not care for yours at first but the more I listen the more I liked it. IMO you almost always nail the EQ at least to my preference. Thanks for the work.
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I’m still dialing it in, it’s not quite right just yet. I’ll be sure to update it once it is. But something like that is what I’m aiming for.
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Sounds like you need to implement a dual monocle visual path.
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I ended up moving on from my EQ APO settings and started using my RME Adi. These are the settings I used in my RME Adi; I use it as my base EQ. I have a few additional basic EQ APO profiles set up on hotkeys for different music genres:
1 - 5db 140hz q shelf
2 - (-)3db 970hz q.7
3 - 6db 7.3khz q 3.5
4 - 3.5db 8.5khz q 5
5 - 2db 10khz q shelf
On my other profiles I have like a -6db gain low Q at 500hz, I have an absolute vendetta against that frequency. I also have another profile that I boost the general 5khz region if the recordings aren’t to my liking.
I made about 5 different RME profiles and switched back and forth until I landed on these settings before I was satisfied. This may not work for everyone, but I hope it gives you a good starting off point.
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Would it be easier to high shelf everything after 6KHz and then just pull down peaks? Oratory sometimes does this with his Harman EQ profiles, so I thought it might be worth mentioning.
Theoretically. I tried this and found I preferred a more pk filter approach.
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