Audeze is one of the top audio companies that is a household name for headphones. If you’re into planar magnetic headphones, Audeze has something for you. After years of reviewing their headphones, we have much experience and have had a taste of most Audeze headphones. In this article, we’re rounding up our best Audeze headphones to help you make an informed decision.
Audeze Headphones Comparison Table
| HEADPHONE | IMPEDANCE | SENSTIVITY | DRIVER SIZE | DESIGN | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audeze LCD-2 Classics | 70 Ohm | 101 dB | 106 mm | Open-back, Over-ear | 544g (19.19oz) |
| Audeze Maxwell Wireless | 14.8 Ohm | 104 dB | 90 mm | Closed-back, Over-ear | 490g (17.28oz) |
| Audeze LCD-X | 20 Ohm | 103 dB | 106 mm | Open-back, Over-ear | 612g (21.59oz) |
| Audeze LCD-5 | 14 Ohm | 90 dB | 90 mm | Open-back, Over-ear | 420g (14.81oz) |
| Audeze Euclid | 12 Ohm | 105 dB | 18 mm | Closed-back, In-ear | 15g/pair (0.53oz) |
| Audeze LCD-3 | 110 Ohm | 101 dB | 106 mm | Open-back, Over-ear | 635g (22.4oz) |
| Audeze LCD-2 Closed | 70 Ohm | 101 dB | 106 mm | Closed-back, Over-ear | 612g (21.59oz) |
| Audeze MM-100 | 18 Ohm | 98 dB | 90 mm | Open-back, Over-ear | 475g (16.76oz) |
| Audeze LCDi4 | 32 Ohm | 110 dB | 30 mm | Open-back, In-ear | 23g/pair (0.81oz) |
| Audeze LCD-GX | 20 Ohm | 100 dB | 106 mm | Open-back, Over-ear | 435g (15.34oz) |
Best Overall Audeze Headphones
1. Audeze LCD-2 Classics
- Impedance: 70 Ohm
- Sensitivity: 101 dB
- Design: Open-back, Over-ear
- What We Like: Best bass response, Great build quality, comfortable fit, Good clamping force, Easy to drive
- What We Don't: Midrange could be better
The Audeze LCD-2 Classics has held the top spot for planar magnetic headphones under $ 1,000 and has earned it. Although these are not the Audeze flagship headphones, their price-to-performance ratio earns them a top spot as our best Audeze headphones. Let’s see how they performed.
First, the LCD-2 Classics have an industrial, almost indestructible build quality. These are built like a tank, with most parts being metallic, save for the headband and earpads. We also love that the headphone is modular, with most parts being easily replaceable. The headband is similar to most Audeze headphones, with a spring steel and a soft leather that sits on your head. Overall, the build quality and design of the headphones are great.
Despite its weight of 544g, the comfort of the LCD-2 Classics is quite good. The headband design and comfort are great, with a thicker potion on top, which spreads the weight evenly. It also has holes, so it’s very breathable. The adjustment mechanism is good, although it takes some force to adjust the settings. The earpads are thinner at the bottom to angle the drivers. Still, overall, they are very comfortable with lots of space inside.
For the sound quality, the first thing you’ll notice is bass quality, which comes with great impact and is also well extended. The midrange performance and the vocals sound good, but they are not the best out there. The highs are clear with no sibilance or a hint of harshness. For the technicalities, the soundstage is good and does not congest at any point, while the imaging is quite good for the price.
Overall, if you’re looking for an entry-level Audeze headphone, this will get you there. They have a fun and warmer sound signature, easily fitting most genres. If you’re looking for this, these are worth your time.
Best Audeze Headphone for Gaming
2. Audeze Maxwell Wireless
- Impedance: N/A
- Sensitivity: Unknown
- Design: Closed-back, Over-ear
- What We Like: Good build quality, Great battery life, Good sound, Good mic, Amazing gaming experience
- What We Don't: Mediocre headband adjustment, Headband can get a little uncomfortable
Audeze has a number of headphones geared towards gaming, including the Penrose wireless, Mobius 3D, LCD-GX, and their latest addition, the Maxwell wireless gaming headset. Let’s see how it performs.
The build quality is okay, and the design is quite different from other Audeze headphones. The earcups are made of metal, a leather headband, and good earpads, which we didn’t like much. Overall, the construction feels premium and sturdy. The microphone included is removable and goes into the left earcup.
For comfort and fit, the earpads are deep enough, which is great for long-term comfort. The headband is soft, but you’ll start digging into your head after long sessions. The adjustment mechanism is also not great, with only three sets of holes to change the height. We would have preferred a better adjustment mechanism for the price you pay for these.
The Maxwell is wireless, which means battery life. The battery is quite good and lasts long, which is long before you recharge. The Bluetooth range is also excellent and works with no issues. You also get cables, which are good if you prefer wired gaming. It also supports different Bluetooth codecs like SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, and LDAC.
The overall sound quality is good; you can adjust it to your liking. The bass is pretty good and has good power. The mids are well-defined and well-controlled, which is rare for a wireless headset. The highs have good details and a good amount of clarity. The soundstage is good and makes for a very enjoyable gaming experience. The mic is okay with no issues at all.
Overall, the Audeze Maxwell has benched so many current gaming headsets in the market. It does things differently and is well-rounded, with good battery life, overall sound, and gaming performance. Yes, there are some negatives, but we recommend this gaming headset.
See the Audeze Maxwell Wireless
Best Audeze Headphone for Mixing
3. Audeze LCD-X
- Impedance: 20 Ohm
- Sensitivity: 103 dB
- Design: Open-back, Over-ear
- What We Like: Solid build quality, Comfortable, Detailed sound, Superb bass, Accurate Imaging and Separation
- What We Don't: Soundstage is smaller
The Audeze LCD-X is a professional version of the LCD-2/3/4, and as such, it’s less costly. It is also the brother to the LCD-XC, which is a closed-back version, but we prefer the X to the XC, and think most people would agree.
For the build quality and design, it’s no different from most of the other Audeze headphones. The build quality is industrial, and the design is elegant and quite pro-looking. The whole construction is metal and painted matte-black. The suspension-style headband works great, but we’d love Audeze to add micro-adjustments. The earpads are leather, but you can choose leather-free earpads too.
The comfort is good, and despite the higher weight, the headphones do a great job of balancing and distributing the weight of the headphones very well. The adjustment mechanism would benefit from micro-adjustments to make it more customizable. The earpads we choose are leather, big, and very soft, providing a superb feeling of comfort.
For its sonic performance, the bass is present, big, and well-controlled. The extension is also excellent, and the bass performance is brilliant overall. The midrange is neutral and natural sounding, which really helps with detail production and resolution. The treble extension is good, which results in detailed highs that are not exaggerated or sibilant. For technicalities, the soundstage is not wide, but it’s still accurate, while the imaging and separation are splendid.
Overall, if you’re looking for a reference headphone, the LCD-X should deliver. It has an excellent and industrial build, and the sound performance is highly detailed and pleasant. We highly recommend this monster of a headphone from Audeze.
Audeze Headphones Buying Advice
How Planar Magnetic Drivers Work
The major parts that make up a planar magnetic driver are two magnets and a diaphragm. The magnets are placed in front of and behind the diaphragm such that it is immersed in an isodynamic magnetic field. The diaphragm has tiny electrical wires that are embedded in it.
When current is passed through the electrical conductors embedded in the diaphragm, the magnetic field created by the current flow interacts with the isodynamic field created by the two magnets. This causes the electrical conductors to move, thus moving the diaphragm and reproducing sound.
Planar magnetic drivers fuse some of the operating principles of dynamic and electrostatic drivers. Like dynamic drivers, planar magnetic drivers use a magnetic field around a conductor that has an electrical current flowing in it to drive the diaphragm. Like an electrostatic driver, the diaphragm of planar magnetic drivers is a thin, flexible sheet. However, with planar magnetic drivers, the diaphragm has very thin and flat electrical conductors in it.
Gaming with The Audeze Maxwell Gaming Headset
Which Audeze Headphone Is Right For Me?
As with anything, there are pros and cons to weigh in all form factors. For example, over-ear headphones are great for listening to music at home. However, most of the over-ear headphones, like the LCD-4, lack portability. If you are mostly listening to music at home, a bigger open-back design should be your go-to headphones. Most of the headphones in the LCD series are great for listening at home. LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-4, LCD-X, LCD-MX4, LCD-4Z, LCD-24, and the latest ,addition LCD-5 are all great for this purpose.
Compared to lighter and more portable headphones, over-the-ear headphones are also heavier and bulkier in weight. After all, a large design usually implies ‘bulky’ and ‘heavier.’ Audeze headphones are known for their larger-than-normal and bulkier headphone designs. However, their sound quality and overall comfort come as a better trade-off. This creates a perfect relationship between weight, comfort, and sound quality.
Audeze LCD 5
The LCD-2, LCD-XC, and Mobius closed-back headphones are great if you’re looking for portability. An IEM like the Euclid is the best option for ultra-portability and convenience.
For mixing and mastering, the Audeze reference series headphones are great for sound engineers and producers. The likes of LCD-1, LCD-X, and LCD-MX4 are all good headphones with neutral and balanced frequency response.
The Audeze LCD-4 and LCD-5
For an in-depth guide on the advantages and disadvantages of closed-back and open headphones, read our ultimate Open-back vs. Closed-back guide. You can also read this post to find out which style is best for your ergonomic situation.
Planar Magnetic vs. Dynamic vs. Electrostatic Drivers
Planar magnetic drivers are thought to be the fusion of dynamic and electrostatic drivers. Like dynamic drivers, planar magnetic drivers use permanent magnets to create electromagnetic forces that interact with electrical conductors in the diaphragm to move the diaphragm, thus creating sound.
Testing The Audeze Euclid
Like electrostatic drivers, planar magnetic drivers use a thin driver suspended between two magnets to create sound. However, in electrostatic drivers, the diaphragm does not have thin conductors and is suspended between two plates, also called strators. Because of their similarities, planar magnetic drivers share some benefits, such as high speed, transient response, and sensitivity with electrostatic drivers.
Audeze LCD-2 Classics
The Embedded thin electrical wires in the diaphragm make electrostatic drivers easier to drive and also give them a punchy and clean bass response. The shape of planar and electrostatic drivers is also different, which makes air displacement more even, leading to a better soundstage and transient response. We have a detailed explainer here on the different headphone drivers.
Audeze Fazor Explained
Fazor technology came about when they revised their LCD series to add it. The LCD-2 and LCD-3 both received the Fazor technology. Fazor technology is a patented technology by Audeze, which helps reduce sound wave interference in their planar magnetic drivers. The fazor is added at the end of the magnets to help smoothen out the waves for an even and parallel direction, which reduces interference.
Audeze Fazor Technology
Shown above is how the performance of fazor technology works when placed on Audeze planar magnetic drivers. It makes the sound waves come out smoothly and naturally without any resistance or interference. All their headphones, including their latest flagship, LCD-5, come with fazor technology for better sound quality.
