[inscythe]

In most cases it's lower tolerances in the final specification and lower rejection of less than ideal parts.

Pretty much this. I also think that there is a possibility that a few product lines are sharing the same pool of raw materials. The lower end ones can use the parts that doesn't meet higher end requirements, thus helping out in lowering overall cost. I don't think this kind of approach is unique to any particular industry.

 

[starence]

In case anyone else is wondering how you would adjust this type of headband, I found this in the Maxwell manual.

Adjusting the Head Strap

To adjust the headband strap length, pull the strap straight off of the set screws. You do not need to remove the screws to adjust the strap length. Line up the holes of the appropriate adjustment level and slide the headband back over the screws. For very large adjustments, the head strap can be removed entirely and the upper band is cushioned to give more headroom for those blessed with an extra large brain.

 

[marekm]

Audeze Rep. clearly stated that the driver is NOT from MM-500, but a different headphone. And yes, this was in response to a question about the "low" price of MM-100.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

In case anyone else is wondering how you would adjust this type of headband, I found this in the Maxwell manual.

I wasn't, but I do love me some Chon so you get my thumbs up anyways. Useful info and a great music rec via profile pic...

 

[Netforce]

Coming from NAMM Show, heard it a few times and got a chance to ask Sankar and few other folks at Audeze some questions about the MM-100.

The MM-100 was quite often next to the MM-500 and tonally speaking, it was pretty evident Manny tried going for a similar tuning on both headphones. Reference/neutral was the goal on the MM-100 and I thought Manny and Audeze did a good job hitting that. Bass was nice and tight, fairly well extended. It was on the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and wanted to make sure it no EQ was applied in either of the bass/treble EQ or with the parametric EQ and indeed it wasn't. For my personal taste I would probably give it a small bass shelf though the bass EQ on the RME was pretty fun and the MM-100 took it well. Technical performance is most excellent on the MM-100 and it had a decent soundstage at least I could tell from the noisy environment of NAMM Show. Treble was nice and present, didn't get any hints of sibilance. The MM-500 did seem to have better detail/clarity and treble extension over the MM-100 at the fraction of the price, I can see the MM-100 being very popular.

Build wise, big step up from LCD-1/Penrose/Mobius. Premium metal construction and quite comfy on my head. Not too tight but pretty stable and I am not going to worry about it slipping off.

Some of the questions I asked:
Is the driver from the Maxwell?
Nope, its more similar to the MM-500 but uses different material. The only thing the MM-100 shares with the Maxwell is the headband.
Edit 4/17 from Iron_Dreamer: MM-100 has a unique driver, newly created just for this headphone, and does not appear in any other Audeze product. It is NOT made from cast-offs, reject parts, things with sloppy tolerances, etc. It has been specifically designed by our engineering team to perform optimally in this chassis for the sonic goals we have for the MM-series of headphones.

Is the single entry cable system on the MM-100 the same as the LCD-1 where you can plug it into either side? And for folks who want to try to use a dual 3.5mm cable, does it work?
Yes, same as the LCD-1 where you can put the 3.5mm cable into either side and it will still work. For people that are guitarists for example, if you are a righty or a lefty, you can position the cable either way. For using the a dual cable on either side, it probably depends on how the cable is made but it should work though he wasn't too sure why folks would want to do that (speaking for pro-audio context)
Edit 4/17 from Iron_Dreamer: The connectors on the headphone are 3.5mm, and can be used with single- or dual-entry cables, single-ended or balanced. The stock cable is single-entry, single-ended with a 6.3mm on the amp side, with an included adapter to 3.5mm.

Is the pads similar to any existing or past Audeze headphones?
Completely original to the MM-100, shares tech or material from existing headphones but the MM-100 is pre-production so still tweaking things on the MM-100, pads themselves are still a work in progress.

The weight is listed as TBD, any info on that?
The MM-100 is still pre-production, still working on it so there are things that they are working on but it should not have any major changes from this unit they are showing today.

The website lists June 2023 as the launch, is that accurate?
Yes, planning on launching it in June but that is an estimate currently.

 

[Alex May]

Is the driver from the Maxwell?
Nope, its more similar to the MM-500 but uses different material.

So my guess was actually right. The driver's tech is derived from the MM-500 but redesigned/scaled down using different materials. Hence, the closest driver to the MM-100 is the MM-500. Thanks for the confirmation, mate!

EDIT: Even though the cited post was edited I will leave mine as is because it's still based on what Sankar (CEO) said at NAMM Show which imo does not contradict with the notion of the MM-100 driver being unique to the headphone.

 

[pk4425]

Coming from NAMM Show, heard it a few times and got a chance to ask Sankar and few other folks at Audeze some questions about the MM-100.

The MM-100 was quite often next to the MM-500 and tonally speaking, it was pretty evident Manny tried going for a similar tuning on both headphones. Reference/neutral was the goal on the MM-100 and I thought Manny and Audeze did a good job hitting that. Bass was nice and tight, fairly well extended. It was on the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and wanted to make sure it no EQ was applied in either of the bass/treble EQ or with the parametric EQ and indeed it wasn't. For my personal taste I would probably give it a small bass shelf though the bass EQ on the RME was pretty fun and the MM-100 took it well. Technical performance is most excellent on the MM-100 and it had a decent soundstage at least I could tell from the noisy environment of NAMM Show. Treble was nice and present, didn't get any hints of sibilance. The MM-500 did seem to have better detail/clarity and treble extension over the MM-100 at the fraction of the price, I can see the MM-100 being very popular.

Build wise, big step up from LCD-1/Penrose/Mobius. Premium metal construction and quite comfy on my head. Not too tight but pretty stable and I am not going to worry about it slipping off.

Some of the questions I asked:
Is the driver from the Maxwell?
Nope, its more similar to the MM-500 but uses different material. The only thing the MM-100 shares with the Maxwell is the headband.

Is the single entry cable system on the MM-100 the same as the LCD-1 where you can plug it into either side? And for folks who want to try to use a dual 3.5mm cable, does it work?
Yes, same as the LCD-1 where you can put the 3.5mm cable into either side and it will still work. For people that are guitarists for example, if you are a righty or a lefty, you can position the cable either way. For using the a dual cable on either side, it probably depends on how the cable is made but it should work though he wasn't too sure why folks would want to do that (speaking for pro-audio context)

Is the pads similar to any existing or past Audeze headphones?
Completely original to the MM-100, shares tech or material from existing headphones but the MM-100 is pre-production so still tweaking things on the MM-100, pads themselves are still a work in progress.

The weight is listed as TBD, any info on that?
The MM-100 is still pre-production, still working on it so there are things that they are working on but it should not have any major changes from this unit they are showing today.

The website lists June 2023 as the launch, is that accurate?
Yes, planning on launching it in June but that is an estimate currently.

Great post, dude. So much good information. This former newspaper reporter tips his cap to you -- you asked all the right questions!

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Coming from NAMM Show, heard it a few times and got a chance to ask Sankar and few other folks at Audeze some questions about the MM-100.

The MM-100 was quite often next to the MM-500 and tonally speaking, it was pretty evident Manny tried going for a similar tuning on both headphones. Reference/neutral was the goal on the MM-100 and I thought Manny and Audeze did a good job hitting that. Bass was nice and tight, fairly well extended. It was on the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and wanted to make sure it no EQ was applied in either of the bass/treble EQ or with the parametric EQ and indeed it wasn't. For my personal taste I would probably give it a small bass shelf though the bass EQ on the RME was pretty fun and the MM-100 took it well. Technical performance is most excellent on the MM-100 and it had a decent soundstage at least I could tell from the noisy environment of NAMM Show. Treble was nice and present, didn't get any hints of sibilance. The MM-500 did seem to have better detail/clarity and treble extension over the MM-100 at the fraction of the price, I can see the MM-100 being very popular.

Build wise, big step up from LCD-1/Penrose/Mobius. Premium metal construction and quite comfy on my head. Not too tight but pretty stable and I am not going to worry about it slipping off.

Some of the questions I asked:
Is the driver from the Maxwell?
Nope, its more similar to the MM-500 but uses different material. The only thing the MM-100 shares with the Maxwell is the headband.

Is the single entry cable system on the MM-100 the same as the LCD-1 where you can plug it into either side? And for folks who want to try to use a dual 3.5mm cable, does it work?
Yes, same as the LCD-1 where you can put the 3.5mm cable into either side and it will still work. For people that are guitarists for example, if you are a righty or a lefty, you can position the cable either way. For using the a dual cable on either side, it probably depends on how the cable is made but it should work though he wasn't too sure why folks would want to do that (speaking for pro-audio context)

Is the pads similar to any existing or past Audeze headphones?
Completely original to the MM-100, shares tech or material from existing headphones but the MM-100 is pre-production so still tweaking things on the MM-100, pads themselves are still a work in progress.

The weight is listed as TBD, any info on that?
The MM-100 is still pre-production, still working on it so there are things that they are working on but it should not have any major changes from this unit they are showing today.

The website lists June 2023 as the launch, is that accurate?
Yes, planning on launching it in June but that is an estimate currently.

Great info here! Your sound impressions seem to jive with everything I've heard and read elsewhere. The technical info is a much appreciated addition, for sure. Thanks for taking the time to share!

 

[JAnonymous5150]

BTW, for those who have discussed the MM-500 clamping too hard for them, my friend that tried the MM-100 and the MM-500 back to back said this when I asked about it: "The MM-100 seems to sit lighter on the head and distribute that weight more evenly which leads to the clamp force being less concentrated on the hotspots near my temples (where the clamp force of the MM-500s was concentrated). Either one was reasonably comfortable for me, but I can see the MM-100s being better for me for longer sessions and less likely for produce painful hotspots in general."

I asked if that meant the clamp force on the two headphones was similar and just concentrated in a more tender spot on the MM-500s which elicited this response: "Overall lighter AND better distributed on the MM-100s, for me. The heavier nature of the MM-500s necessitates higher clamping forces to keep them stable, I would think. I don't think the MM-100s will cause problems for the vast majority of users and that seemed to be the takeaway I got from most people I discussed them with, as well."

Sounds like at least one person thinks you guys aren't likely to encounter similar fit/clamp issues with the MM-100s.

 

[pk4425]

BTW, for those who have discussed the MM-500 clamping too hard for them, my friend that tried the MM-100 and the MM-500 back to back said this when I asked about it: "The MM-100 seems to sit lighter on the head and distribute that weight more evenly which leads to the clamp force being less concentrated on the hotspots near my temples (where the clamp force of the MM-500s was concentrated). Either one was readonably comfortable for me, but I can see the MM-100s being better for me for longer sessions and less likely for produce painful hotspots in general."

I asked if that meant the clamp force on the two headphones was similar and just concentrated in a more tender spot on the MM-500s which elicited this response: "Over lighter AND better distributed on the MM-100s, for me. The heavier nature of the MM-500s necessitates higher clamping forces to keep them stable, I would think. I don't think the MM-100s will cause problems for the vast majority of users and that seemed to be the takeaway I got from most people I discussed them with, as well."

Sounds like at least one person thinks you guys aren't likely to encounter similar fit/clamp issues with the MM-100s.

The headbands are different on the MM-500 and MM-100, right? Hopefully that accounts for the lower clamping force, which is a concern because I have a big melon. Gel pads on the MM-100 probably help, too.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

The headbands are different on the MM-500 and MM-100, right? Hopefully that accounts for the lower clamping force, which is a concern because I have a big melon. Gel pads on the MM-100 probably help, too.

Yes, it's a different headband. I actually have a pretty big head as well (I wear a 7.75 hat size) and the MM-500s aren't an issue for me, while a friend of mine has a much smaller head and thinks the clamp is terribly uncomfortable. I think with the MM-500s it's less about outright head size and more about actual structure. Either way, the MM-100s have a different headband and a lighter clamp (at least according to one person) so they shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Thanks @Netforce for visiting us at NAMM and for your very well written an informative post after speaking to Sankar and I.

Following up on a couple of points of discussion in this thread:

MM-100 has a unique driver, newly created just for this headphone, and does not appear in any other Audeze product. It is NOT made from cast-offs, reject parts, things with sloppy tolerances, etc. It has been specifically designed by our engineering team to perform optimally in this chassis for the sonic goals we have for the MM-series of headphones.

The connectors on the headphone are 3.5mm, and can be used with single- or dual-entry cables, single-ended or balanced. The stock cable is single-entry, single-ended with a 6.3mm on the amp side, with an included adapter to 3.5mm.


P.S. the Audeze "rep" in the Sound on Sound video is in fact our CEO/Founder, @xsankar .

 

[Netforce]

Thanks @Netforce for visiting us at NAMM and for your very well written an informative post after speaking to Sankar and I.

Following up on a couple of points of discussion in this thread:

MM-100 has a unique driver, newly created just for this headphone, and does not appear in any other Audeze product. It is NOT made from cast-offs, reject parts, things with sloppy tolerances, etc. It has been specifically designed by our engineering team to perform optimally in this chassis for the sonic goals we have for the MM-series of headphones.

The connectors on the headphone are 3.5mm, and can be used with single- or dual-entry cables, single-ended or balanced. The stock cable is single-entry, single-ended with a 6.3mm on the amp side, with an included adapter to 3.5mm.


P.S. the Audeze "rep" in the Sound on Sound video is in fact our CEO/Founder, @xsankar .

Gotcha! Edited my post to include the extra bits for clarification for those reading my post!

 

[Philimon]

designed by our engineering team to perform optimally in this chassis for the sonic goals we have for the MM-series of headphones.

Your sonic goal was not to step on your more expensive offerings: MM-500 and LCD-5? How do you downrate your drivers? Isnt it cheaper to just reuse MM-500 driver design, parts and tooling instead of creating a whole new driver just so it doesnt eat MM-500 sales? Or is there an actual decrease in driver build costs of MM-100 over MM-500? Some speculated lower tolerances / lower quality control made the most sense. But if its not that then what makes MM-100 cheaper to build than MM-500? Is it the chassis or headband that makes up the difference?

 

[Alex May]

Everyone is waiting for three things:

1. Detailed sound impressions
2. FR graphs/measurements
3. The answer to the question: what's the catch?