Special thanks to
@Audeze, and
@KMann for thet patience and the pair sent for review.
This can also be found on the first page of my guide.
Review is as of software and firmware update checked in April 2019.
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Audeze Mobius
$399 as of April 2019
Where to buy:
Audeze,
Amazon.com
Review first posted
HERE
First of many surprises, I do believe the Mobius is the world's first planarmagnetic "headset", world's first wireless/bluetooth planarmagnetic, and world's first internal head-tracking planarmagnetic headphone. Audeze is swinging for the fences with as many buzzwords you can fit into one extremely well designed package.
Build Quality:
To begin with, the Mobius stands apart from any Audeze planar I've personally seen. I would've expected another classic Audeze headphone: formal, fancily-dressed, laden with wood, heaviest of weights, and utterly behemoth in size. Instead, the Mobius came dressed like one would expect of a properly engineered bluetooth headphone, not in any way typical of Audeze.
Durable-looking plastic is its main ingredient (which I have zero problems with, mind you), likely to keep costs down to hit a specific price point.
Headband:
A standard plastic headband with the bottom dressed in very plush, uber comfortable faux-leather in the center. The size adjustment is fairly typical and akin to something you'd expect from Sennheiser, with a easy adjustment that clocks, but have no visible markings.
Cups:
The cups are oval-shaped, with a fully enclosed outer shell that house the power button, mic on/off, and power led indicator on the left outer cup; nothing on the right cup, though internally, I believe houses the battery (good for up to 10 hours of wireless playtime). The cups can lay flat for portable use/resting around the neck, and have enough swivel to fit any head shape. The bottom of the left cup is absolutely packed with all the interface you'll ever need: volume slider, microphone volume slider, aux/3.5mm input jack, usb type c input (for it's charging and PC audio side of things), microphone jack, and 3D button.
If that wasn't enough for you, the 3D button is a shortcut for other functions:
one button press: re-centers the headtracking of 3D mode
long press: toggles 3D on/off
double tap: switches from USB, AUX, Bluetooth
The mic volume slider also has shortcuts (subject to change). Pressing down on the volume slider switches from:
7.1 audio: PC picks up the Mobius as a 7.1 sound device. Use this if gaming/media playback and want to utilize the virtual surround capabilities properly
Stereo (formerly labeled as '2 channel'): Standard, PC picks this up as 2 channel...surprise. 16bit/48khz.
High Res: High fidelity two channel playback in 24bit/96khz. 3D button capabilites are disabled in this mode (no virtual surround or headtracking features).
Single press followed by sliding the mic volume up or down will change EQ presets:
Default, Footsteps, Ballistics, Music, Racing, RPG, Warm, Flat
The power button has shortcuts as well:
Long press when off: turns Mobius on
When on: long press: Bluetooth pairing mode
Holding it longer AFTER bluetooth pairing mode: turns the Mobius off
Ear Pads:
While some of you may know I'm not the biggest fan of faux-leather pads, Audeze has managed to give the Mobius a very ample amount of padding while minimizing surface contact area. The end result is that the Mobius sits comfortably on the skin, with an oval-shape opening, keeping the ears from bottoming out and pressing onto the drivers or pressing up against the pad walls. I'd like the skin contact area to be lined in cloth, velour or something similar (like Hifiman's focus pads), but that's just me.
Cables:
The Mobius comes with 3 basic cables: 6ft USB C to USB A, 6ft USB C to USB C, and 3.5ft 3.5mm aux audio cable. All your bases are covered here in terms of cables.
Final Build Impressions:
While the Mobius isn't the hefty beast one would expect of Audeze, it is made of some generally durable plastics that shouldn't offend anyone. The Mobius looks like it can take some moderate abuse, though why would you abuse planarmagnetic goodness like this?
Accessories:
Aside from the cables mentioned above, you get a boom microphone attachment. On the Audeze website, you have add-ons you can purchase for extra: a headphone stand ($24), and a carrying case ($39). I don't have the headphone stand , but I do have the carrying case.
Optional Carrying Case:
A black, clamshell carrying case with a zipper to open/close. The outside is tough and doesn't cave in to pressure easily. There is a nylon handle/strap for easy carrying.
The inside has a molded cutout to rest the Mobius in, as well as the top lid having a netted pouch that velcros shut, and clearance behind the lid and netted pouch where you can place other items in. All in all, a very nice case with rugged enough protection that I easily recommend for those wanting a case.
Comfort:
Weight:
The Mobius is among the lightest planarmagnetic headphones I've personally tested, and generally a non-issue. I believe it is around 350g (correct me if I'm wrong please), which isn't the lightest headphone, though definitely light for a planar. I feel the weight is distributed well, and shouldn't pose a problem for most people.
Headband:
Headbands are either hit or miss in general, but I feel the Mobius is definitely on the right side of things, with ample cushioning, with no hot spots or sore spots even after many hours of use.
Ear Pads:
As mentioned earlier, I'm not generally a fan of faux-leather ear pads, but the shape, depth, and minimal skin contact surface, paired with the ample cushioning, makes the Mobius' ear pads quite comfortable, and amongt the best faux-leather ear pads I've tested. From memory I can't recall a better pair of faux leather ear pads in terms of comfort and keeping my ears cool.
Clamp:
I'd say the clamp on the Mobius falls under 'moderate' pressure. If anything, this may be the only area in comfort I'd personally want improved, as I prefer less pressure in general. I can see moderate clamp starting to cause minor aches during long listening sessions. Clamp is a highly debatable subject, and can easily fall under personal preference.
Overall Comfort Impressions:
The Mobius is in a range of comfort I'd consider quite good, despite personal preference of less clamp. Outside of clamp, the comfort easily lands in the spectrum between very good and great. I don't see many people having a problem with the Mobius whatsoever in terms of comfort. Even though my preference is fabric-covered pads, these fall under one of the best in comfort outside of my typical preferences.
Isolation/Leakage:
It's been a considerable amount of time since I've last played with a closed headphone of any kind, but I'd say the noise leak and noise isolation are absolutely good enough for my use. I couldn't see the Mobius being a problem to use in a quiet room, or in a loud environment.
Sound:
Undoubtedly the most important factor: How does the Mobius sound? Surely a headset packed with so many features at a lower than typical Audeze price-points would have to compromise in sound a bit? Well, I'm happy to say that if they sacrificed somewhere to bring us the Mobius, the sound definitely was not compromised.
Note: Default is the intended frequency response of the Mobius. As such, this will be the main setting used for this review. The other settings will alter the tonal balance of the Mobius in subtle, but various ways, which I'll leave for you guys to figure out. This would be 8 reviews if I spent time trying to write down the sound differences between each. If you like the inherent Mobius sound but want subtle tweaks, chances are there is a preset that may lean towards your preferences.
Bass:
The bass on the Mobius is what I absolutely expect of Audeze: This is some good bass. And not in the "bassheads, come out and play" type of way, though audiophilic bassheads may or may not find solace here. The bass immediately reminds me of the classic LCD-2 Rev. 2 bass. It is big, meaty, and well present, in a way that only planars are capable of, without the excess mid bass energy associated with basshead-friendly dynamic headphones. It reaches as low as deemed possible without any protest, with the deepest of rumbles and omnipresence. It hits with absolute, resolute, authoritative impact, but not overly so. Decay is medium-fast, texture is rich, and despite it's boldness, is actually completely linear with the midrange, where there is little in the way of invasiveness.
There is a little bit of excess warmth in the lowest regions of male speech where it can sound a bit growly, but otherwise, the bass is here to play with the rest of the sound instead of dominating over it. That being said, make absolutely NO mistake: It will absolutely, undeniably hit you in the face given the right music tracks. But that's when bass is called for and not whenever it feels like.
Doing frequency checks: I felt the presence even down to 25hz, with no degree of weakeness all the way to the midrange. The bass is intoxicating and meaty enough to satisfy all who love bass, unless you want dronish, one note affairs, or those who don't put as much importance as the midrange or upper end sparkle.
Midrange to Treble:
Oh what a lovely, juicy, fluid midrange it is. The midrange is upfront and center, with a tonal quality as realistic as any I've heard. Easily amongt the very best midranges I've heard. It's absolutely wonderful. Male speech, as mentioned before can have an overactive lower octave, but only slightly. In general, everything about the midrange to me is lifelike and engrossing, with a focused presence. It just sounds...correct, to my ears.
You would think that despite having said how linear the curve seems to be on the Mobius, I've mentioned how meaty and impactful the bass is, and how focused, fluid, and lifelike the midrange is, leaving one to assume that the treble likely took a backseat, leaving the Mobius as a warm, overly smooth sounding headphone. Well, that simply isn't true. The treble is absolutely present and clean sounding, despite it not being
too highlighted. It maintains a very fine balance with the bass and midrange, where one would think the treble is basically on par with either. To my ears, the treble is quite present yet just a hint (A HINT) south of absolute neutrality. What I mean by that is that it's very close to complete balance with the bass and midranges, but has some cleverly tucked in regions that soften the impact of annoying treble ranges, and highlights the best regions that add clarity and sparkle, like 10khz.
One would say it's neutral treble and I wouldn't disagree. This absolutely is NOT the LCD2 of old. There is an undeniable treble presence here, and it's at a level that I'd consider incredibly well balanced. I'd say that had it not been for the strength of the bass on the Mobius, it would be a deadlock between all ranges. To my ears, the treble is just expertly balanced here. No glaring peaks, sibilance, or overly glossed over sections of stuffy, blanketed treble.
Frequency check: Peak prominence at 3.2khz, biggest recession points at 6khz and 7khz, but not overly so. Mid to treble ranges are generally detailed and present, and upper treble at 8.5khz is the strongest point after 3.2khz, but not super hot. 10khz sparkle is present but not over-emphasized. In short, Audeze has a very desirable frequency balance that is neither too soft, nor too bright. I've heard much more expensive headphones with much worse frequency balance control. Audeze did very well here.
Soundstage:
Stereo mode, 3D off:
Soundstage, as always is not something I pay particular attention to when using headphones in stereo (as opposed to when I use them with any form of virtual surround, which the Mobius DOES have as an option.) That being said, I review soundstages in their pure, untouched, stereo forms. Only two closed planars really surprised me in terms of soundstage: the MrSpeakers Alpha Dog, and Ether C. The Mobius has good depth, good height, average width to my ears. I feel the Mobius has particularly excellent frontal projection, despite an average size soundstage typical of closed headphones and planars in general. It is one of those few headphones that with certain music tracks is able to trick me into thinking I'm listening to my front speakers, not headphones.
With the 3D surround on:
To say it transforms the soundscape, soundstage, and soundfield would be an understatement. More on this in the gaming section, and 3D button specific sections.
Clarity:
The Mobius has a decent amount of clarity, thanks to it's very linear response, not masking any region outside softening a few treble ranges, though not ones that stifle perceived clarity.
The bass leaves the midrange well enough alone in the vast majority of examples, and the treble sparkles without being overly pronounced nor stuffy and veiled.
It's not as clear as the brighter, detail oriented headphones out there, but for a neutral to warm leaning closed headphone, it does an admirable job.
Clarity changes when engaging it's 3D surround mode, in which the Mobius takes on a slightly brighter, airier, more detailed tonality, which makes it great for detail-attentive gaming. This zaps the bass a bit, so you may wanna change the preset to 'Music' or 'Warm' if you want to bring back some of the bass and warmer characteristics.
Sound Signature:
Tonality: Neutral-warm tonality, linear, authoritative, but controlled bass, luscious midrange, neutral-warm treble with moderate sparkle.
Bass: Linear, sub bass is cavernous, mid bass as impactful as necessary, not overly energetic. Slight excess bass energy in lower frequency male speech. Bass decay/resonance is medium speed. Rich texture.
Midrange: Warm neutral, linear, up front and center, organic, lifelike, natural. Excellent. No annoying areas in the transition to lower treble. Slight dip at 1.5khz, 3.5khz-4khz transition is the pronounced but not overly sharp.
Treble: Warm neutral/south of neutral, with sparkly upper end. Not soft, not pronounced. Walks a fine line between smooth and sparkly. Warm, but not WARM. Upper end extension is high. 3.2khz prominence, 6khz-7khz dip, 8.5khz peak, 10khz-12khz lively but not piercing. 13khz drop off.
Gaming:
As Audeze first foray into a gaming headset, you would expect that it needs to deliver, and I have to say, gaming with the Mobius has been a treat. As one would expect of a deeply immersive experience that a meaty bass, rich midrange headphone would give, the immersion factor is absolutely stellar. This is one incredibly fun headphone to use. It is vibrant and dynamic, with some pleasant prowess in terms of clarity as well. Headphones tend to lean towards either immersive gaming, or competitive, detail oriented gaming. Well, I can easily say the Mobius can easily serve as either. I guess that is what an incredibly linear response can deliver, yet without any 'flat' sound boredom.
Now for the real treats.
How well does it's 3D surround sound function? As someone who started with the tried and true Dolby Headphone, who has dabbled with Beyerdynamic's Headzone surround dsp, then THX Tru Studio, and for a few years up to now having used Creative's SBX Surround, with the latest being Sennheiser's SGX, I can say I was absolutely surprised by how effective Audeze's surround solution is. Here are my past and current experiences:
There are many other virtual surround dsps, but these are the ones I'm accustomed to and found worth using. In my nearly decade long audiophile life, you can say I'm more than well acquainted with what Audeze is attempting here with its base virtual surround implementation outside of the headtracking.
So is the Mobius' implementation of surround worthwhile when compared to tried and true dsps that have thrived before its inception? Short answer? Abso-freaking-lutely.
The surround emulation just works. It instantly reminds me of something akin to Creative's SBX surround, give or take a bit of rear positional depth. Positional accuracy is correct, with the only negligible shortcoming being that blind testing front/rear positional cues aren't as easy as with Dolby Headphone or SBX. Now, this is a problem I personally feel ALL surround DSPs have. It's just one of those aspects of virtual surround that take a little more than just sound to convince. Action on screen relative to what you hear goes a long way into 'tricking' your brain into hearing sound cues as being 'behind you'.
Now, I won't go out of my way and say it's the best one, though that may be purely on preference. I'd rate its virtual surround as an 8/10. It's great. I can without question use the Mobius competitively and not ever feel like its positional cues are a detriment.
3D Button and Its Effects
To add what the 3D button does and its effects for more than just gaming, let me clarify:
Base Surround Emulation:
For best results, you need to change the mode to 7.1 (though head tracking does work in 2 channel mode to a lesser extent).
Upon engaging virtual surround, the sound signature of the Mobius becomes slightly brighter (though still retains the Mobius traits of linear signature with deep AND punchy bass, just a little less so, but with equally present midrange, and neutral-ish non-fatiguing but clear treble). It becomes considerably more airy, which is to be expected. You're going from a typical headphone's audio, to something that simulates a room with speakers. That's right, you honestly should not compare basic stereo mode with 7.1 virtual surround/head tracking mode, because the presentation of sound is COMPLETELY different. Again, it's like going from headphones to then taking your headphones off and listening to speakers inside a room. Not exactly the same, right?
Well, the immediate difference is how the sound goes from inside your head to several virtual feet in front of you, at the very least when it comes for stereo content. If you're listening to music, it's like there are a set of speakers in front of you. If playing 5.1/7.1 content, it's like you're in the middle of the action, and things are happening all around you. Now, you may think "well, regular headphone gaming I feel like I'm in the center of it all." No. Just no. There is no comparison. You're still limited to two channels giving you audio that is more or less in and around your headspace. Virtual surround is like you're listening to speakers quite some distance from you, hence why I say NEVER to compare between them. You wouldn't compare a headphone's soundstage and imaging directly with speakers, so don't do it here.
Mobius's surround emulation is distinct, with clear positional cues, note-worthy airiness and soundstage size. You are enveloped in a large sound field that is further aided by the wonderful, wonderful headtracking. Thankfully, the reverb is kept to a minimum (though that depends on the software's room ambience setting), so it doesn't sound overly artificial like some other virtual surround DSPs like Dolby Headphone, which may have better rear positional discernibility, but at the expense of fidelity. I think most users would take the Mobius interpretation of virtual surround over Dolby Headphone.
Headtracking:
As if virtual surround wasn't enough, Audeze decided to throw in an incredibly functional headtracking feature that not only works, but works amazingly well.
To start, it begins with you facing what you deem is the front (or in my case, the TV screen). You then press then 3D button to center the headtracking. From that point, ANY head movement will be tracked by the Mobius. So if you were to turn around, the audio that is supposed to be in front of you will come from behind you. To give an easy example: say you're using this feature while listening to music, well it's exactly like you're listening to speakers in front of you, and whatever direction you turn to, the audio will still be coming from where the speakers are obviously located. It's something you have to experience to truly understand and appreciate.
Now, for music, I'm a headphone purist, in the sense that I would just rather listen to the Mobius with the 3D/surround/headtracking turned off. However for sources that have a 5.1/7.1 mix like movies, video games, and tv shows, I absolutely swear by the surround and headtracking.
For gaming in particular it adds an extra layer in dimensionality, as no longer do I have to 'think' of the sound as it ALWAYS being in front of me, so if say, my head were slightly angled in another direction, I would still know where sound cues are at on the screen, because the headtracking makes it possible to pinpoint EXACTLY where sounds are coming from relative to where I'm facing and not just where it is at relative to the screen. It's not only immersive, it's absolutely beneficial, if even by just a little bit.
I think this will absolutely be a game changer in the future, if the gaming industry pays attention.
Final Impressions on Surround and Headtracking:
Surround sound alone is something I deem incredibly important in gaming, especially headphone gaming. The Audeze Mobius' implementation is a fantastic new alternative to all the existing surround dsps out there. In addition to its headtracking, it may as well become a brand new favorite for many people. Audeze already had a bang up headphone without even going into the gaming and surround features. With them, Audeze has come out the gates swinging for the fences.
Bluetooth:
I'll be the first to admit I don't have a lot of experience with wireless audio. Outside of a pretty good pair of Koss PortaPro wireless, Jaybird X2s iems, and gaming headsets: Creative Soundblaster Jam, Astro A50, Skullcandy Plyr 1, I don't expect much from wireless audio.
I can EASILY say that I'm positively blown away by how amazing the Mobius sounds in its Bluetooth form. I mean, it sounds the almost the 'same' to my ears. I mean that in a way that I don't notice any sound signature differences. It sounds clean, crisp, clear, and if there is any compression, I honestly can't tell. I would absolutely fail a blind test between bluetooth and USB. I'm sure there are differences, but I'm not gonna strain myself to the point where I trick myself into thinking one sounds better than the other. That is the highest praise I can give.
We can sit here and talk about headtracking, and whatnot. To be honest, I think I was just as impressed by the bluetooth sound quality. Yes, it's that good. Fight me.
Bluetooth does have quite a lot of latency in all but the LDAC codec, so gaming through Bluetooth isn't advised.
In terms of battery life, Audeze rates these for around 10 hours of playback. While far from other wireless headphones, I find 10 hours to be enough for the majority of a day's use. I don't ever really past 8 hours of headphone use a day, so 10 hours is fine for me, especially when I'd be using these mainly through the USB mode.
Microphone:
At the time I was sent these, I had a pre-release and a final release Mobius models, and mixed up the microphones, so I'm not certain which was which. I don't feel comfortable giving microphone impressions, so I truly apologize for those looking for this.
Audeze HQ Software:
This program is where you can customize all manner of things on the Mobius that can't be accessed on the headset itself. Before describing the main sections, let me talk about the right section which has indicators of whether the Mobius is turned on/off, which mode the 3D is in (Off, Manual, Auto), the battery percentage, the mic volume level/mute, and whether the device is connected through USB. The top right of the software has a question mark button which sends you to an Audeze webpage with Mobius technical questions (worth looking into if you still have questions about many aspects of the Mobius).
As for the software's sections themselves...
HTRF Personalization:
Here you have sliders for 3 settings: Head Circumference, Inter-Aural Arc, and Room Ambience. These are important in giving you the best experiences with the 3D audio. Head Circumference and Inter-Aural arc settings are done in inches and I suggest a measuring tape to get proper sizes. Room Ambience goes from 0-100, and drastically changes how the virtual surround dsp sounds in soundstage size and reverb. I believe the default is 35. I personally use 50 which has a little more reverb, but gives positional cues some room between me and the edge of the soundstage.
This section also has a 3D model of a head that gives you current pitch, yaw, and roll of the headset as you move your head about. This will reset and centralize when you press the 3D button on the headset when in 7ch or Stereo modes. Hi-Res mode can't be adjusted as it disables headtracking functions, though the software still picks up the headtracking movement.
Sound Profiles:
This section makes it easier to change between the various EQ presets. Flat, Default, Foot Steps, Ballistics, Music, Racing, RPG, Warm. As stated in the beginning, Default is...the default option, although in the software, Flat comes before default.
Device Info:
This section informs you of the software's version, as well as an image of the headset's outline describing various areas of the headset itself.
Firmware:
A simple section describing firmware version, as well as a button where you can update the firmware of the headset itself. The method of updating sends you to another site which personally could've been made easier, as it tells you to copy to google drive, log in, and some other steps which I found a minor hassle. That being said, the update process itself is painless and easy and only requires the headset be placed flat, pads face down until the process is complete, and only needs a power cycle.
Final software impressions:
The Audeze HQ software is quite simple, intuitive, and attractive. I do wish the right section could also be adjusted here instead of just being indicators, though that's just a minor gripe. I sometimes forget, and try to toggle the 3D mode here in the software which is impossible. All in all, it's a no frills, easy to understand program. It is worth installing mainly because it is necessary for the HTRF customization. The EQ preset changes here is a nice bonus.
Personal Recommendations:
The Audeze Mobius is possibly the easiest product to recommend to everyone outside of console specific gamers. It's a stellar music headphone, gaming headset, and general media monster. Outside of possibly those who want something analytical, bass heavy/light, I don't see how ANYONE else would not consider these.
Even if you don't care about virtual surround, or even headtracking, the Mobius IS STILL a stellar audiophile headphone in both usb AND wireless bluetooth modes. I don't talk much about the aux cable mode, because bluetooth is so good, you won't find a need to connect a cable unless it's for the usb specific uses. I promise you.
Likes and Dislikes:
Likes:
- Planarmagnetic
- Self driven (no dac/amp needed)
- Wireless capability via Bluetooth
- Great virtual surround
- Amazing Headtracking
- So much bang for the money
- Stellar sound quality from usb AND bluetooth
Dislikes:
- No full console capability outside of standard aux cable into controller on PS4. Not sure on XB1 or Switch, though if they have a headphone jack somewhere you'll get basic stereo capability.
- Aux cable input isn't passive, so no benefit in using your own dac/amps.
- Aux cable input may be unnecessary because bluetooth sound quality is just that good.
Final Impressions:
Had Audeze released a barebones headset, that didn't have surround, headtracking, or even wireless capabilities, the Mobius would STILL get a full recommendation from me. Based off sound quality alone, I was instantly enamored by the Mobius. Audeze specifically asked for general concerns or advice for them on what I think needs fixing. I told them that I honestly wouldn't change a THING of its sonic traits. I mean, speaking purely in terms of sound signature and quality, the Mobius is 100% READY to go. I do NOT want anything about its inherent sound changed whatsoever.
How can I give critical feedback to a product I can find no real fault in?
It's been quite a while since the Mobius released from the early impressions I posted online. In the end, I didn't find I had to change much of anything from back then. The noise floor issues have been fixed, the glitches have been ironed out. The Mobius is the complete, feature-rich, package.
I don't even want to begin trying to understand how Audeze was capable of cramming so much into a product like this that isn't worth a zillion dollars. I don't wanna know, I don't wanna ask. All I know is that it exists, and you absolutely should get it. Even if JUST for the Bluetooth, I'd argue for it.
).
