Audiophile Reviews

"Planar magnetic headphones use a different type of driver to 99% of headphones (these are the only ones here of the type). Instead of magnets driving a large cone to shift air and create sound, here a thin flat film is moved instead. The result is more precise sound than almost any other headphones can manage, with ultra-low distortion – meaning less of the very finest edges of the sound get sanded away. At the same time, they can drive a more impactful soundstage, where robust bass doesn’t overwhelm the mids or trebles."

Over the last few months, I’ve been playing video games on my PS4 and Nintendo Switch using Audeze’s Mobius Headphones. They’ve also been part of my music listening regiment when I want to have a more intimate experience. While the last few years I’ve been mostly on budget headphones for gaming and and using Air Pods with my iPhone and iPad, it was extremely cool to dive into a more immersive listening experience with a high-end set of headphones.

When Planar Magnetic headphones first hit the scene, there were three significant barriers to entry. First was the size. Most were big and bulky, and some couldn’t handle the weight wearing them for long periods. Audeze is a U.S. based manufacturer (California to be exact) that does one thing. They make impressive Planar Magnetic headphones. Most of their models are of the big, power-hungry, expensive variety, but they have also come up with smaller, more portable designs like the SINE on-ear and the iSINE in-ear. The SINE (now discontinued) was their first portable planar magnetic headphone. It was designed to take the spacious and detailed sound Audeze is known for on the road, but it got mixed reviews due to comfort and tuning. Regardless, it was still a massive shift in PM headphone design and had plenty of potential. First of all, comfort is no problem with the LCD-1. Unlike the SINE, it’s an over-ear model, so the pads go around the ear instead of resting directly on them. The pads and headband are also heavily cushioned, and the clamp is just about perfectly judged, even for a big head like mine. They are snug but without undue pressure on the head.

The LCD-1 sound better, with anything, anywhere. I tested them using Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and a record player. I used them as reference headphones when recording. I even kept them plugged in when playing video games like Grand Theft Auto Online (91.1 The Lowdown, the soul station narrated by Pam Grier, is the only choice for any self-respecting criminal, and it sounded better than ever).

“All these gamers who are serious about becoming competitive [and] having a competitive advantage are going to invest in better tech,” Jake Fyfe said,  “because it’s an arms race when you’re trying to be the best. And headphones can give you an edge. From my conversations the standout headphone currently is Audeze’s Mobius headset. “They are the best headphones that I’ve used for gaming – ever,” OG Arabian Prince told me. It is also among the most expensive of headsets. At the same time, Audeze being a very high end headphone company where headphones can retail in the multi-thousands, the Mobius is one of their least expensive and best-priced items."

"If you want a truly quality headset for gaming that has all the bells and whistles, the Audeze Mobius headset may be your best choice. Not only does it offer a lot of “stuff”, but it also sounds pretty amazing too!"

"Audeze has done a marvelous job providing a product that targets both audiophiles and gamers, but therein lies the problem. The Audeze Mobius retails for $399. For most audiophiles that price probably comes across as very reasonable compared to what most audiophile equipment goes for. However, for gamers, the most popular high-end gaming headsets only run about $100-150. The jump to $400 might be too much for some, but if you are interested in upgrading your audio experience in the same way you upgrade your gaming system specs, then the Audeze Mobius is absolutely worth it."

"By making design decisions to keep the LCD-1's lightweight and portable without sacrificing the audio quality derived from their planar magnetic design, Audeze has created a unique product"

"So headphones like the $400 Audeze LCD-1 reference monitors really hit the right emotional notes for me. I know that open-backs have some downsides, but I can’t help but gravitate toward them: I adore the sound signature they generally provide."

"The demand for audiophile-grade headphones is increasing day by day. There are a lot of new brands that are manufacturing audiophile-grade headphones, and some of them gained much popularity with time. Audeze is a modern American brand that started its journey in 2008 and is now a well-known brand among audiophiles for its high-quality top-of-the-line headphones. The Audeze LCD 4 Over Ear Over-Ear is a premium “no budget” audiophile headphone from Audeze. It is a flagship that will cost you around 4000 USD. It promises to deliver you the best and unmatched audio experience. Let’s see what these headphones are capable of."

"Audeze have been making waves in the headphone world with an approach to headphone design that includes flexible circuit material designed for NASA and magnetic planar drivers. These come together in the LCD-MX4, their studio-focussed unit. These open-back cans were designed for mixing and mastering applications, and feature a frequency response of 10Hz to an astonishing 50kHz. They also have a remarkably low impedance of 20 Ohms, although with headphones of this quality you’re likely going to want to pair them with an equally high-end headphone amplifier. As the over-ear LCD-MX4’s are for studio work, Audeze has designed them to be balanced, neutral, and transparent. They’re also incredibly precise and detailed, with a tight and fast response. While not the lightest headphones on this list, the carbon fibre band helps keep the weight down, while the leather-covered memory foam cups ensure comfort during long listening sessions. They come bundled with a 1.9m 1/4-inch to dual four-pin mini-XLR cable and a sturdy travel case. The Audeze LCD-MX4 headphones are extremely expensive, and thus out of the reach of most musicians and producers. But for the truly discerning professional, they’re something of a pinnacle of headphone technology.

"Who hasn’t heard of Audeze? The US-based headphone manufacturer are an icon of the headphone industry, their LCD line-up having both huge success and staying power. If there’s one thing that alienated buyers from these models, it’s likely their price followed quickly by their large, heavy design. The new LCD-1 is their solution to these qualms, and their sleekest LCD headphone yet excluding the on-ear SINE. It implements the same technologies in a compact form factor designed for all-day comfort. Furthermore, the sound signature has been tuned with monitoring in-mind, pivotal as such a balanced sound is not so easy to come by around this price range."

"As a college student, I’ve always gravitated towards IEMs for their portability. Headphones never really interested me because, well, they didn’t fit into my more mobile lifestyle. Still, I fondly recall trying my first pair of “real” audiophile headphones, the Sennheiser HD6xx, and being blown away. It was a huge step up from most of the IEMs I’d listened to. And while I don’t have the same high regard for the HD6xx these days, there’s a clear distinction in performance between headphones and their more portable IEM counterparts. Enter Audeze’s LCDi4. In a dash of groundbreaking innovation, it aims to bring headphone-level performance to the IEM form factor. But how does it stack up in practice? "