[KaiSc]

I apologise in advance if I upset anyone with this post (I have read at least half the pages in this thread & countless other web pages before posting for clarity). I'm a lifelong gamer/music & movie lover; have never been massively into onling gaming but recently have discovered the new CoD & have a couple of mates (on a different console) who want to kill me mercilessly. Plus I get countless texts from one of my housemates, telling me to turn the volume down at night while I'm watching movies/series.

I spent most of the weekend online, researching gaming headsets for my console of choice (Xbox), before stumbling upon the Mobius. When I saw it was manufactured by Audeze, my first reaction was...surely not (I've been hankering after a high-end pair of cans for a long time but with so much choice/so many opinions online & so few options to demo before dropping the cash, it's not happened). However I then found this thread, read through as many pages as I could, but still have a few questions which I'm hoping you good folk can answer.

For reference, I own the following:

• Xbox One X
• Nintendo Swicth
• AK Kann
• Dell XPS15
• Sony STR-DN1080 amp (connected to a TV & projector)
• Chord CPM 2650 (connected to a turntable & my PC)
• Chord Hugo (for connecting my laptop to the Chord amp)

In a nutshell, the basis of my reserach has got me to the following conclusions:

• I made a mistake buying an Xbox in terms of compatibility with headsets
• When people start showing frequency response graphs or talking about impedence etc I grab the next bottle of red from the cellar
• There are plenty of headphones that I'd be really happy with, but I'd always be wondering...what if I'd bought 'that' one

What I am hoping to find out is:

1. Is the Mobius the one-size-fits-all it sounds like, which will connect to all of the above with relative ease, and give good performance?
2. Am I right in thinking that I'll have to connect it to my Xbox controller via the headset using a 3.5mm cable, will have no 7.1 capability, but will have the native '3D' sound?
3. Can I use any off-the-shelf microphone with the Mobius (assuming it can be made to fit the socket)?
4. What would be the best way to connect it to my Kann to listen to music?
5. What would be the best way to connect it to my Sony amp to watch movies/series on Netflix/DVD?
6. What would be the best way to connect it to my Chord amp to listen to music?
7. Am I better getting a separate Xbox-centric headset (i.e. the Steelseries Arctis 9X) & Kann-focussed headphones?
8. Should I request a s*x change, forget all about this ***, & start watching Love Island when it comes back (apologies to any females reading this, but my doctor told me this is exclusively a male problem)?
9. Update: I now find out there's a bloody LCD-GX headset...should I be considering that instead? I give up!!!

Mobius is a universal headset that connects to almost everything, being at home both in games and music listening.
It's got internal amplification and DSP sound shaping, several presets to choose from, and it's closed back.
Opposed to that the LCD-GX is passive (no internal amp) and open back, which I'd locate more in the hi-fi department.

Sound wise Mobius is AUDEZE house sound on steroids.
With the internal amp and DSP the AUDEZE team could do a soundtuning that is not possible with passive headphones.


Absolutely unique is Mobius 3-D sound with head tracking.
This gives a 3-D sound realism that otherwise is not possible.


The answer to your questions 1 to 3 is: yes
We answer to your questions 4-6: USB if available, else 3.5mm jack, which gives the same quality.
The answer to your questions 7 and specially 8 is: no

 

[Pramsta]

Mobius is a universal headset that connects to almost everything, being at home both in games and music listening.
It's got internal amplification and DSP sound shaping, several presets to choose from, and it's closed back.
Opposed to that the LCD-GX is passive (no internal amp) and open back, which I'd locate more in the hi-fi department.

Sound wise Mobius is AUDEZE house sound on steroids.
With the internal amp and DSP the AUDEZE team could do a soundtuning that is not possible with passive headphones.


Absolutely unique is Mobius 3-D sound with head tracking.
This gives a 3-D sound realism that otherwise is not possible.


The answer to your questions 1 to 3 is: yes
We answer to your questions 4-6: USB if available, else 3.5mm jack, which gives the same quality.
The answer to your questions 7 and specially 8 is: no

Appreciate your thoughts KaiSc.

 

[Dave83]

With the Shadow of the Tomb Raider game, I have exactly the same problem described in this thread: https://steamcommunity.com/app/750920/discussions/0/1742220359681234752/

With the headphones connected via USB cable, no problem, with the headphones wirelessly instead I have no audio in the game, neither in the cut scenes nor in the game. Only on the menu do I hear something.
Disabling in Windows the input device (the microphone, not output) "Audeze Mobius 3D BT Hands-Free AG Audio", the problem disappears.

Furthermore, if I do not disable this device, but on Windows I set the output on the device "Audeze Mobius 3D BT Hands-Free AG Audio", the audio in the game works but obviously it is of low quality.
It's as if the game is setting audio output on the wrong device.

Do you think there will be any way to solve this problem, without turning off the microphone or using headphones connected by cable?

 

[LoyK]

Anyone knows if/how much delay there is on the 3.5mm input? I tried playing guitar with the Mobius over 3.5mm and thought that there was some small delay to my playing that isn´t there when using other headphones. Or was this just some weird effect? Any way to minimize the delay?

 

[trellus]

Anyone knows if/how much delay there is on the 3.5mm input? I tried playing guitar with the Mobius over 3.5mm and thought that there was some small delay to my playing that isn´t there when using other headphones. Or was this just some weird effect? Any way to minimize the delay?

probably due to the fact that it’s not truly passive but going through an ADC to convert that analog input to digital then apply DSP then to the DAC to go back to analog

 

[Hemlocke]

probably due to the fact that it’s not truly passive but going through an ADC to convert that analog input to digital then apply DSP then to the DAC to go back to analog

Which is probably the reason for their upcoming closed-back, wireless headphones. Plenty of people want wireless Audeze headphones, but they want to use their DACs and amps with them.

 

[KaiSc]

Which is probably the reason for their upcoming closed-back, wireless headphones. Plenty of people want wireless Audeze headphones, but they want to use their DACs and amps with them.

The combination of wireless with a DAC and amp does not make too much sense to me.
Wireless over Bluetooth necessarily means there must be a DAC and an amp inside the headphone, exactly what Mobius does.
How would I connect (digital!) Bluetooth 'phones to an external DAC and amp, in fact an analog signal?

 

[metal571]

I think he wants the option. Don't we all want a lightweight closed back Audeze that can run passive or on active BT? I do.

 

[trellus]

The combination of wireless with a DAC and amp does not make too much sense to me.
Wireless over Bluetooth necessarily means there must be a DAC and an amp inside the headphone, exactly what Mobius does.
How would I connect (digital!) Bluetooth 'phones to an external DAC and amp, in fact an analog signal?

Well, in fact many Bluetooth headphones actually do have a passive mode in which the analog input completely bypasses the DAC and amp built into the headphones and is driven by whatever DAC and amp are feeding that analog input.

For example, my BeoPlay H9i and my Master & Dynamic MW60 both have this passive mode and the DAC/amp in each of these is completely bypassed when that mode is used. In the case of those two, they actually sound quite good (even better, arguably) in wired passive mode connected to a better DAC and amp than is typically put into a Bluetooth headphone -- in other cases, the sound quality takes a big hit (my older Parrot Zik wireless headphones come to mind, those are horrible when used passively, a modern example is the Sony WH1000XM3) because the headphones were not tuned acoustically but need that DSP in the digital domain in the headphones to correct compromises made in the headphones, and the designers accept this because they are marketing them as primarily wireless with passive mode only as, effectively, emergency standby.

The Drop Panda wireless planar magnetic headphones were specifically designed to operate well in passive mode and so are acoustically tuned, and so when you use the 3.5mm input on that, it bypasses the DAC/amp built into the headphones.

Mobius just happens to be a 'phone that is not designed like that.

 

[Hemlocke]

Well, in fact many Bluetooth headphones actually do have a passive mode in which the analog input completely bypasses the DAC and amp built into the headphones and is driven by whatever DAC and amp are feeding that analog input.

For example, my BeoPlay H9i and my Master & Dynamic MW60 both have this passive mode and the DAC/amp in each of these is completely bypassed when that mode is used. In the case of those two, they actually sound quite good (even better, arguably) in wired passive mode connected to a better DAC and amp than is typically put into a Bluetooth headphone -- in other cases, the sound quality takes a big hit (my older Parrot Zik wireless headphones come to mind, those are horrible when used passively, a modern example is the Sony WH1000XM3) because the headphones were not tuned acoustically but need that DSP in the digital domain in the headphones to correct compromises made in the headphones, and the designers accept this because they are marketing them as primarily wireless with passive mode only as, effectively, emergency standby.

The Drop Panda wireless planar magnetic headphones were specifically designed to operate well in passive mode and so are acoustically tuned, and so when you use the 3.5mm input on that, it bypasses the DAC/amp built into the headphones.

Mobius just happens to be a 'phone that is not designed like that.

That Shankar came out a CanJam 2020 NYC and said it wouldn’t be like Mobius when used wired means they must have been listening. Now, the question is when the set is released. I’m grabbing LCD-2 Classics this week, so I imagine they will release the new headphones 31 days after I get the LCD-2C’s.

 

[trellus]

That Shankar came out a CanJam 2020 NYC and said it wouldn’t be like Mobius when used wired means they must have been listening. Now, the question is when the set is released. I’m grabbing LCD-2 Classics this week, so I imagine they will release the new headphones 31 days after I get the LCD-2C’s.

That's what I'd heard, too, but then Sankar said in a recent livestream on the Headphone Show (formerly Resolve Reviews on YouTube) that they hadn't decided yet so not as positive now, which is making me lean towards the Drop Panda....

...well, maybe -- I did just "have" to order the Mobius about 2 hours ago because I was unhappy with my MacBook Pro's mic in sending too much background noise on my Zoom conference today for work so I decided I needed a better wireless mic setup -- cuz I'm away from home and I didn't pack a mic.

 

[powit]

That's what I'd heard, too, but then Sankar said in a recent livestream on the Headphone Show (formerly Resolve Reviews on YouTube) that they hadn't decided yet so not as positive now, which is making me lean towards the Drop Panda....

...well, maybe -- I did just "have" to order the Mobius about 2 hours ago because I was unhappy with my MacBook Pro's mic in sending too much background noise on my Zoom conference today for work so I decided I needed a better wireless mic setup -- cuz I'm away from home and I didn't pack a mic.

It would be a shame if they didn't add passive mode. Mobius and Sine are so close to greatness. If the new closed LCD is quiet, has DSP, and has passive mode it will certainly be the best BT headphone on the market. The Sine and Mobius already impressed me as closed backs, they just have to perfect the formula.

 

[KaiSc]

In fact the last iteration of AUDEZE EL8 Titan with or without Cipher cable really is great.
The Cipher cable is an active Apple Lighning DSP/DAC/Amp.
I bought an AUDEZE refurbishes B-stock (like new!) on very low money with the intention to sell the EL8 and keep the Cipher (which was all I was initially after)
Then the EL8 sounded that good that I kept it.
All flaws of the early versions seem to be ironed out.

The headphone-specific Cipher has a fixed Pre-Eq (in case of the EL8/Sine version only a 3 dB bass boost) and a 10-Band EQ with iPhone App for personalized settings.
See here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audeze-el-8-closed-version-impressions-thread.761161/post-15257599


EL8 can run passive too, one of the few where this makes sense.

Most other active- or "Bluetooth-" headphones use the passive option only as an emergency mode if the battery runs out.
Like "better then nothing" but without the processing largely degraded.


I have no idea what Mobius would sound like in passive, but I know there is quite some corrective EQ in the so called "Flat" preset too.
Plus some correction to even out the differences beween left and right cup caused by different acoustic environment, battery in right cup, amp in the other.
I think AUDEZE left out the passive mode for a reason.

 

[Yshusnir]

If you update the firmware, it should fix problem 1. Not sure if it would be helpful, the sound designer for COD (Modern Warfare) uses Mobius in 7.1. We plan to have an interview with him on our website next week

Hi Audeze,

Any news on this interview ? I'd be curious to hear it .

 

[dewidaniels]

I thought I'd share my impressions of my Audeze Mobius. I've owned them for a month now. They replaced a Sennheiser PC 360 that was connected to an Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card. The PC 360 and the Xonar were 9 years old. I replaced them because the pots were getting noisy on the headset, making it difficult to change the volume, and people told me there was background interference on the microphone, which I traced to the sound card. I've also used the PC 360 with a Sound BlasterX G6, which I bought to use with my laptop. I play Lord Of The Rings Online (LOTRO) mostly. I also have a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 noise cancelling headphones, while my wife has a pair of Sony WH-1000XM3 noise cancelling headphones. Our home theatre system is a Yamaha DSP-AX620 AV amplifier, four Monitor Audio Apex A10 speakers, a Monitor Audio Apex A40 centre speaker and a REL Strata III subwoofer.

First, the PC 360. The PC 360, when connected to the Asus Xonar Essence STX, had a similar tonal balance to our home theatre system. The PC 360/Xonar combination sounded every so slightly muddy in comparison to the home theatre system. The positional audio using Dolby Headphone was excellent. It was very easy to forget you were wearing headphones. When connected to the Sound BlasterX G6, the PC 360 sounded cleaner but also brighter and thinner. I didn't think the positional audio was as good with the Sound BlasterX as with the Xonar.

So, to the Audeze Mobius. The Audeze Mobius has a very similar tonal balance to the PC 360/Xonar and the home theatre system. In LOTRO, the positional audio is even better than with the PC 360/Xonar. I really like the head tracking system. With the PC360/Xonar, it felt as if the world was spinning around me when I turned my head. With the Audeze Mobius, it sounds completely natural, as the sounds stay in the same place. It also make it easier to pin-point where noises are coming from, as you can turn your head to confirm the direction. In LOTRO, the sound quality is slightly better with the Audeze Mobius than with the PC 360/Xonar, but I suspect I've reached the limits of the sound quality of the samples used by the game developers. Listening to music, the Audeze sounds a lot better, especially in Hi-Res mode, though it's still a little behind the home theatre system. The Audeze has a very clean, neutral sound with smooth, detailed treble and mid-range. The main difference between the Audeze Mobius and the home theatre system is in the bass. While the Audeze Mobius has excellent bass for a pair of headphones, it lacks nuance in the bass compared to the REL subwoofer. I'm less impressed by the Audeze Mobius for movie soundtracks. I can't imagine wanting to listen to a movie with the Audeze Mobius. It's a long way behind the movie-viewing experience on the home theatre system. Finally, I find the Audeze Mobius quite uncomfortable. The PC 360s were extremely light and comfortable, as are the Sony WH-1000XM3s. When I first got the PC 360s, I'd sometimes stand up and start to walk away from the computer because I'd forgotten I was wearing headphones. There's no risk of that with the Audeze Mobius. They're quite heavy. They also have a pronounced clamping effect. I bought the gel-filled ear pads for the Mobius, but I found them even more uncomfortable. They're firmer, making the Audeze Mobius feel even heavier and giving me a headache after about an hour. Audeze seem to acknowledge this is a problem for some. See https://www.audeze.com/blogs/techno...ut-weight-clamping-force-and-earpad-materials. Personally, I'd be willing to trade some audio quality for comfort. I might have been imagining it, but I thought the positional audio was every so slightly better with the gel-filled ear pads, possibly because they bring the diaphragms a little closer to your ears.