[Jackalton]

I do hope people find my write up to be useful. I'm certainly going to be speaking to Audeze support, as I don't think my Mobius is up to the quality I would have expected.​

I found it very useful, yes. I've been on the fence about cancelling my preorder, but you've convinced me to do it, so thanks for saving me 300 quid!

 

[Lunar Eclipse]

Well said. It's been 8 days with the mobius and everytime I hear that hiss creeping into my content my heart just sinks. Such an expensive, stark contrast to the Earstudio and the joy it brings. I have sent a message to Audeze support and hope they will make it right. There will be a retail version with different packaging from what I've heard, not sure where.
​

So once I got past the cable issues, I was able to test out the headphones more thoroughly. So I sit down, plug them in, turn them on and I instantly hear the background hum / hiss / noise. It's very audible when there is music or sounds, even audible in quiet parts of the music. It certainly takes away from those moments in games, movies or music. This is, in all honesty, very disappointing. I know Audeze has said that some level of background noise is expected from any active pair of headphones, but I haven't experienced this since I purchased a $20 pair of Noise Cancelling headphones from a supermarket chain a couple of years ago. I currently own and use multiple sets of active, wireless headphones (Sony WH-1000X M2, Nuraphones, Razer Thresher) and none have this much audible background noise.

 

[napes22]

@Audeze Can we get an update on the mic issues that have been posted numerous times in this thread? It seems like it's being ignored, or you just post the support article that has nothing to do with the issues we are having. A gaming headset with an unusable mic, is useless.

I second this. This issue is preventing me from actually using the headset. As good as they are, without a working Mic they aren't usable at the moment.

 

[mashuto]

So, I am a backer for these, and received my copper versions a week or so ago. Have given them a good go, so thought I would give my impressions of them.

All up, for a gaming and movie watching headset, these are OK. I think the RRP of about $400USD is far too much for what you get, there are better options out there. A price closer to $200-$250USD is much closer to what these should be. Unfortunately for Audeze, there are a heap of competitors in this market with excellent products at a lower price. They have also had much longer to work out what is important in this market (comfort, long use periods, convenience over sound quality) as opposed to the Audiophile market. They certainly won't be the first headset I would recommend for gaming, sadly.

Starting off with the packaging. Going to retail, this needs to be improved. I'm really not a fan of wastage when it comes to packaging, but you need to do more than use a plain brown box. We are talking about a retail product which is mean to appeal to gamers and movie watchers. They certainly expect something more than that. There are many ways to still keep the packaging simple and without wastage, but presenting the product much better. The brown box does nothing to excite or promote the product. It's a letdown, to be honest.

The case is decent, good for throwing the headphones in when heading out for a gaming session. I don't think they are suitable for portable use due to the size (They don't fold down), battery life while on Bluetooth (only 10 hours), charge time (3 hours for 100% charge, no quick charge) and lack of isolation (a LOT of noise get's let into these closed back headphones), but the case is convenient if you are going out gaming or otherwise.

The headphones themselves are heavy. For longer gaming sessions they can get a bit heavy and fatiguing.
Clamp force on them is fairly high as well. The ear cushions are soft enough to offer some padding from the clamp, but not enough. You really feel these squeezing your head.
The ear cushions are fairly small (they are deep, but not wide of high enough), so large ear will get squashed. Even for medium sized ears, they can be squishy and tight.
They get HOT. Part of the issue is the active components in the left earcup (put your hand on it and you can feel the earcup get warm) but the other part is the closed backs, small ear cups and solid leatherette earcup materials.
Unfortunately all of these leads to these being a fairly uncomfortable set of headphones. They are OK for brief listening sessions, but for longer gaming sessions, movie marathons or whatnot, these aren't comfortable enough.

OK, so now we get onto using the headphones. The build of them is OK. They feel fairly solid, but the entire plastic build does not feel overly quality to me. For the price I would have liked to see more metal and premium materials used, but I don't think they will fall apart immediately.
The controls are... poor. There's no other word for it. Why is the time I need to hold to turn the headphones on or off o long and DIFFERENT for each action? The click in of the scroll wheels and the turn is just frustrating. The long hold combinations are frustrating. And remembering it all is just.... AGHH! They are not intuitive (why is the pause action a press of the power button instead of the volume wheel?), they are not straight forward or easy to remember. Yes, there is a cheat card, but I shouldn't have to keep digging it out to try and do basic tasks. AND all of this should be fully controllable via the App, both on Windows and on smart phones. At the VERY least, the instructions should in the app, not advertisements for the headphones I already own. Why are you advertising the 'Award Winning Planner magnetic Drivers', 'Scratch Resistant coating' etc. for headphones I already own? I know, I own them. Give me something useful here!
OK, maybe these features will come to the app in the future, but these are live and retailing now. The Apps should be ready to at least a basic level, but they aren't.

I am yet to try these via Bluetooth, as the main draw for me is the 7.1 sound. I have other headphones I would much rather use via Bluetooth. So my first use was plugging them into my Razer Blade 15 laptop and firing up a movie on Netflix. After turning down the headphones (100% volume on first USB plug in, or on changing mode, is painful) and getting into the movie these sounded decent. The surround is, honestly, very similar to what I get out of my Razer Kraken V2 7.1 gaming headphones. I honestly struggle to notice any significant improvements from the Mobius. Sure the Razer Kraken V2 7.1's don't have the 3D movement effect, but the actual surround emulation is similar.
However within a minute or 2, the Audio in the Mobius cut out and started coming out of the laptops speakers. I did nothing, but the sound cut over. I checked the cable, all plugged in and fine. So I unplug the cable from the headset and plug it back in and I get sound again, for another couple of minutes. So after a bunch of stuffing around and testing I find that the included USB-A to USB-C cable is faulty. If it get's touched while in use it disconnects, if I try and use it to charge a phone the phone throws up an error. The USB-C to USB-C cable is fine. I am now using the USB cable that came with my Samsung Galaxy phone and have no more issues.

While we are talking about the cables, they are FAR too short for using with a headset. They are only just long enough to be plugged into my laptop, which sits on top of my desk up to the side. I honestly can't see how they could be acceptably long for anyone want to plug them into their gaming PC or console. Sure, they are simple USB cables so are easy to replace, but at this sort of price I expect to get cables that are usable for the headphones intended purpose. For headphones that are expected to be used for playing games (including VR) and movies, the cables are FAR from long enough.

So once I got past the cable issues, I was able to test out the headphones more thoroughly. So I sit down, plug them in, turn them on and I instantly hear the background hum / hiss / noise. It's very audible when there is music or sounds, even audible in quiet parts of the music. It certainly takes away from those moments in games, movies or music. This is, in all honesty, very disappointing. I know Audeze has said that some level of background noise is expected from any active pair of headphones, but I haven't experienced this since I purchased a $20 pair of Noise Cancelling headphones from a supermarket chain a couple of years ago. I currently own and use multiple sets of active, wireless headphones (Sony WH-1000X M2, Nuraphones, Razer Thresher) and none have this much audible background noise.
Thinking that the issue might be the power supply of the laptop I was using I have now tested my Audeze with my Razer Blade 15 laptop (on battery and plugged in), my Aorus X7 DT v7 laptop (both plugged in and on battery), on my Microsoft Surface Laptop (both plugged in and on battery), On my Microsoft Surface Go (both plugged in and on battery) and plugged in to my Samsung galaxy Tab S4 (running on battery). The Hiss is always there, always the same. So, in at least my case, the issue is not caused by the device or power supply.
Going through this thread it looks like some people have next to no hiss while others have a lot more. I can't help but think at this stage that Audeze has some rather large variances in it's build process which is causing this. At this stage it can't simply be a case of some people being more sensitive to it.

These headphones sound good. They have good details and don't extend too high. They are lacking a bit in bass, but not that badly. Positioning is OK, but not the best. They sound nice for listening to music.
I would like to see more controls given for the equaliser. The presets are all pretty much the same to my ears, not much change between them. I would like to see larger differences between the profiles, and more control given to making the changes.

This next part I can't believe I have to say in 2018. Why, oh why, do these headphones NOT remember my last settings between uses? They should, and there is no excuse as to why they don't in this day and age. On some super cheap headphones I might be OK giving a pass on this sort of thing, but not for the high cost of the Mobius's. This is a little usability thing that makes a big difference to the every day enjoyment of the headphones.

And then we get to the Microphone. The microphone on my unit is, in just a word, trash. It is simply unusable for it's intended purpose. In my testing the microphone needs to be right up to my mouth, set to 100% volume on the headphones and 100% volume in Windows. Then I get constant breathing / wind / artifact noise, but my voice is very quite, raises and drops in volume and is very unclear. It's trash.
As A test, I recorded the microphone using the Windows Recorder software in Windows 10 with the volumes at 100%. This means that there are no software settings or incompatibilities are removed, it's all down to what Windows is receiving. The resulting mic quality was poor (wooly and muffled, voice cutting in and out, volume raising and dropping), I struggled to hear some of my words, the recording is essentially unusable. I then plugged in my Razer Kraken V2 7.1 headset (a USB gaming headset with Mic) and set the Microphone volume to 50%. The recording is far louder, voice is far clearer with less artifacts and no issues with volume dropping. Even at 25% volume, the Razer Krakens microphone is far better than the Mobius's.
I've tested the Mic on my Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 via USB as well. The same issues exist (low volume, muffled and wooly, volume raising and dropping) so it's not a Windows driver issue. However the Mic get's slightly better when plugged in using the Aux cable. Volume is still far too low, but the cutting out issue is reduce.
So the Mic hardware itself is somewhat to blame, but so to is whatever is happening when the USB connection is in use. This explains why people have noticed an improvement when switching to Bluetooth. Honestly thought, I am very displeased with the mic. It's honestly
I'm kinda wondering at this stage is the issues with high noise floor and poor mic quality are connected. How many people with the high noise floor are also having issues with the Mic.

Finally we have the battery drain while plugged in and the PC is off. This is inexcusable. Most gamers will leave their headphones plugged in at ALL times so the next time they go to jump into a game their headphones are charged and ready to go. The have to remember to unplug them or be faced with a dead battery is unbelievable. There is no reason, no excuse, and no explanation as to why turned off headphones plugged into a turned off PC should actively drain the battery.


All up, I'm certainly not overly impressed by the Mobius. I know that I am making a lot of complaints about them (some minor, some more major) but for their cost there are FAR too many issues, too many compromises, and not enough polish. Maybe Audeze can fix some of the issues via firmware, but some they won't. I honestly think there are far better headphones for gaming and movies to be had at a fraction of the price.

I do hope people find my write up to be useful. I'm certainly going to be speaking to Audeze support, as I don't think my Mobius is up to the quality I would have expected.​

Interesting review. Though, at the very least, I should point out that it has been mentioned that the packaging we are receiving is the crowdfunding packaging and does not reflect the final packaging.

Also, are you sure the usb cable itself is faulty and not your usb port on your laptop? I just have not experienced any cutting out on mine. I do agree though that the cable could be longer, especially since this is intended as a gaming headset first and foremost.

Microphone is pretty bad. Its just too quiet and struggles a bit to pick up sound unless its literally right on your mouth, which is just not great.

Definitely agree about the battery drain while plugged in and the pc is off. As a gaming headset first and foremost, this is just kind of ridiculous that it cant be left plugged in. I realize when you are packing as much into headphones as these and making them completely active that something has to give, but the fact that they drain completely is not good, and then they dont start charging automatically again when you turn the pc back on.

I also know others have mentioned they dont retain settings... is this just the dsp settings or something else? My volume levels at least were where I left them, so that was good.

So yes, there are definitely issues and definitely quirks. But overall, I think that these are still very nice headphones, at least for the indiegogo price. And most of that is because the head tracking is quite nice and I have been able to very easily pinpoint sound locations. I compare to sennheiser gsx and while I think the gsx surround implementation is better, the mobius is close and has the advantage of the head tracking. And then what really makes them stand out for me is just that they are super versatile and function as a wireless headphone too. All in all, I am happy with them for the price I paid, quirks and all. At full retail price, I might be a bit more hesitant. So not trying to be contrarian, because your points are all good, just again for me at the price I paid I can overlook and learn to live with some of them because of the overall package of what the mobius offers.

 

[Drivenby]

Mobius sounds the same as a Razer 7.1 headset?

Sure....

 

[Steveaj]

First of all, I am new to this forum, but have been reading all the comments and reviews. I realize that what Audeze is going here is a major undertaking. Anyone trying to pack all those features into a headset is taking a lot of chances. I was also invested in the Ossic program, which went down in flames, but you take your chances. I have not ordered a pair of Mobius headphones as yet and I am wondering if I should. Currently, I am using the MMX 300 with the Waves Head Tracker and Waves NX for $10. I have coupled this with the Mayflower ARC, so I have voice. It does work pretty well and the Waves NX does improve the surround sound. Also, I have a very high quality mic. But I look at the Modius this way, a first attempt at 3D sound. Based on what I have read, it does work and with support, they will improve all aspects of the headset, version 2. I am sure they will work on firmware to improve some of the aspects of the current unit which will make it even better. From what I have read, this is a company that stands behind their products and values their customers. Hard to ask for more. Also, where has Mad, Lust Envy disappeared to? Highly value his opinions.

 

[KaiSc]

Anybody any idea how to get real 5.1 surround sound music into Mobius out of the following configurations -
I don't have and I don't want Netflix, I have Amazon Prime.

1. Normal TV set with optical SPDIF digital and HDMI out.

2. Hifi standalone DVD player with analog and SPDIF digital out.

3. Apple TV4.

4. iPhone / iPad browser (youtube) streaming.

I had expected that 1 and 2 isn't easy, but that there is no 5.1 browser configuration for the iPad is really disappointing.
I have professional audio recording software on my iPad Pro that does send real multichannel out into the Mobius, but none of the browsers I tested does.
I don't want to use a PC laptop for this.

I think AUDEZE should suggest solutions for these cases.

BTW, The microphone basically sounds quite good, it needs a foam windscreen, 15dB more gain, the noise gate threshold should be lowered or the gate should be switched off completely.

 

[PopZeus]

Man, the Mobius sounds real good. Now that it's starting to cool off, I'm actually preferring listen to them over my mid-fi wired IEMs. Crazy, right??

 

[KMann]

1. Normal TV set with optical SPDIF digital and HDMI out.

2. Hifi standalone DVD player with analog and SPDIF digital out.

3. Apple TV4.

4. iPhone / iPad browser (youtube) streaming.

I had expected that 1 and 2 isn't easy, but that there is no 5.1 browser configuration for the iPad is really disappointing.
I have professional audio recording software on my iPad Pro that does send real multichannel out into the Mobius, but none of the browsers I tested does.
I don't want to use a PC laptop for this.

I think AUDEZE should suggest solutions for these cases.

The only way you can get 5.1/7.1 from Mobius is through USB

Mobius does not have SPDIF input, even if it did, spdif does not have the bandwidth for 5.1 unless there is a lossy compression/coding involved. Aux can support 2ch only.

iDevices do not support 5.1 over lightning/USB

BTW, The microphone basically sounds quite good, it needs a foam windscreen, 15dB more gain, the noise gate threshold should be lowered or the gate should be switched off completely.

We are actively working on it and beta testing firmware change that will boost the gain. The root of the problem seems to be that the default Microsoft audio driver for Win 10 sets a very low gain. The issue is not hardware or the microphone itself.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

The only way you can get 5.1/7.1 from Mobius is through USB

Mobius does not have SPDIF input, even if it did, spdif does not have the bandwidth for 5.1 unless there is a lossy compression/coding involved. Aux can support 2ch only.

iDevices do not support 5.1 over lightning/USB



We are actively working on it and beta testing firmware change that will boost the gain. The root of the problem seems to be that the default Microsoft audio driver for Win 10 sets a very low gain. The issue is not hardware or the microphone itself.

This is really good to hear. I'm personally not experiencing issues with my mic, but I think this will make a number of people happy.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

Man, the Mobius sounds real good. Now that it's starting to cool off, I'm actually preferring listen to them over my mid-fi wired IEMs. Crazy, right??

I've been listening to my Mobius exclusively now for I guess two weeks or so? I haven't touched any of my other gear since I got it. I honestly love the sound, especially Bluetooth LDAC. Gaming I like with the 3D headtracking, but I really like the High Res 2ch for music with LDAC. Mobius is the first Bluetooth headphone I've owned (not heard) and it just sounds great. I do have a few gripes with them - innacurracy of the battery reading in the windows app, discharging when turned off via usb, etc. But overall, super happy.

 

[KMann]

I do have a few gripes with them - innacurracy of the battery reading in the windows app, discharging when turned off via usb, etc. But overall, super happy.

The battery reading will be fixed when we update the app. As a temporary workaround, you can expect an accurate reading from the app if you turn off charging (but remember to turn it back on)

Regarding battery discharge, we are taking in all the feedback and we hope to improve the overall experience where possible through Firmware.

 

[Monstieur]

Is it technically possible to allow a custom EQ preset to be stored in the headphones?

 

[msolok]

Mobius sounds the same as a Razer 7.1 headset?

Sure....

Sorry, I never said that. You are making stuff up.

If you actually read what I said, I said the Mobius sound nice for music.
Where I did compare them to the Razer Kraken V2 7.1 is in their surround capabilities (where I said I didn't notice a massive difference) and the mic quality (in which the Razers STOMP the Mobius). I have not once compared the sound of the Mobius to the Razer.

 

[Mkoll]

Sound:

· Not bass-light but not bass-head. I think there is just the right amount there for this sound signature and it is well-balanced. It doesn’t have that rumble of dynamic driver bass, but rather has clean, extended planar bass. If you’re new to planar bass, you may initially perceive it as bass-light but give it some time to grow on you and you might come to appreciate it. I say this as someone with a TH-900 who listens to a lot of trance and house music so I definitely appreciate good bass.

· Good treble presence without being sibilant. Of the 3 non-gaming presets (flat, default, and music), flat gives the most treble and I could see it being fatiguing for some. The other two roll it off noticeably.

· 7.1 sounds great for movies/TV and games. It’s not as mind-blowing as I might have expected, but I’ve never heard a proper 7.1 speaker setup so I have no reference. Regardless, I don’t see myself using any other headphones for these purposes when surround sound is available.

· Overall, I think these sound great. For the sound quality alone and all the extras like 7.1, head-tracking and BT, I think they are well worth their retail price. They're a deal for the Indiegogo prices.


Comfort and Isolation:

· Clamp force was initially higher than what I’m used to, but easily remedied by stretching the headband a bit.

· Ears get a little warm, but not too bad. To be expected with closed headphones with this clamp force and pad material.

· I could see a hot spot forming at the top of my head, but I haven’t marathoned with them yet. Antdroid posted a solution on page 5 that I will try if this becomes a problem. (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audeze-mobius-review-impressions.887808/page-5#post-14457845)

· Their isolation is mediocre but still helpful. Slightly better than semi-open TH-900, worse than closed SRH-1540, far worse than closed Aeon. Maybe different pads could help?


Bluetooth:

· LDAC sounds amazing. Very hard to tell the difference between it and high-res USB.

· Highest quality LDAC (>900 kbps) from my Nexus 6P starts cutting out when I’m just a few feet away from phone and even just walking around with it in my pocket. Kind of unfortunate, but it’s barely better than the balanced setting ( >600 kbps) which lets me set the phone down and walk across the room and do stuff, rarely cutting out. Had it in my pocket most of the time and it only cut out once or twice for a moment in maybe 30 minutes. Granted, this could all be the fault of my phone's BT transmitter and not the Mobius. Never had so much fun doing house chores!


White Noise/Hiss:

· Using Avarice’s suggestion above (plugging in aux cable then maxing volume), I hear substantial white noise/hiss. It’s more than my PXC 550’s white noise when its ANC is on and quite noticeable. It’s dependent on volume: when I lower the volume it essentially becomes inaudible.

· Bluetooth and USB max volume: no discernable white noise/hiss. I am in a small 1 bedroom apartment with a relatively high noise floor from ambient noise so maybe I’d hear something faint in a quieter place. But as it is, I can’t hear anything at all.


Suggestions:

· Fix the white noise/hiss. Having followed this thread and read every post, it’s clear to me there is a variation in hiss among Mobius units. I and many others got a good unit, but many did not. It’s not fair that some people have it and some don't. I'd guess the aux white noise/hiss isn't fixable, but if it is please fix that too.

· Fix the mic. I tested it in Windows 10’s voice recorder. With everything at maximum volume, I could hear myself OK. But I would expect it to be louder at that volume. Haven’t tried Discord yet. I also used it over my Android phone for a call and the person I was talking to said it sounded fine.

· Option for 7.1 only with head-tracking off. Head-tracking is cool, but sometimes I would rather just have straight 7.1.

· Option to save the last used settings or tweak the starting settings in the software.

· Custom EQ in software.

· Option to disable and/or adjust Sidetone. I can already hear myself well enough without it. Having it on is too much.

· Fix it so it can be plugged into a powered down computer and not discharge the battery. phase0 mentioned the workaround of using a powered USB hub (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audeze-mobius-review-impressions.887808/page-75#post-14505179) to prevent this. Haven't tried it myself but good to know that it's a possibility if this can't be fixed. Though I'd be a bit concerned for the battery's health if it's always being charged like this...would have to do more research on it to know if it's bad.


Questions for @Audeze/@KMann:

1) Over BT, the 3D button doesn't do anything. Holding the microphone volume wheel to change between 3D auto, manual, and off also doesn’t do anything. Does the Mobius default to high-res in this mode?

2) On my phone’s LDAC settings, what should I set the bits per sample and sample rate to for the best quality? Right now they’re both set to “system selection (default)” which are 32 bits/96 kHz.