Man that sounds like such a fun job. Star Wars is a great IP, only slightly let down by the sequels but for the most part done very well. The MM-500 and LCD-X must have a different tuning setup or else it would be completely pointless to even release it. My guess is it’ll be something more listenable than what I’ve heard about the stock LCD-X since Manny engineered records on the MM-500. I myself am not allergic to EQ so if the MM-500 is not worth the extra $500 in terms of technicalities and such I will likely end up going with the LCD-X, I have no qualms with weight.
Introducing the Audeze MM-500!
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AlwaysForward
Headphoneus Supremus
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Yeah I think Audeze took a tuning turn on their house sound that started with the LCD 2-4. Flagships since are aligned with the 2-4 where legacy flagships follow the 2, with the X being the exception.
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Kevintj604
Headphoneus Supremus
Yeah. The nice thing about the LCDX 2021 is the second hand market has dropped the price of them substantially and they're built like a tank so I've never really seen any units banged up. They also require almost zero EQ to sound great. I personally am an unabashed bass head so I've kept an original iFi Hip Dac with their first iteration of bass boost so it focuses almost exclusively in the sub bass region. I run transportable most of the time so that's a great way to EQ.
My current thinking as well. I heard both at CanJam Chicago and preferred MM-500 as more of a contrast to my other other cans (ZMF Auteur and Focal Clear MG), MM-500 being more "reference" sounding (whatever that means) but to my ear still very musical.
One question I have is that my amp is a Feliks Euforia AE OTL w/output impedance ~ 20Ω. I know with dynamics an 18Ω headphone impedance would be a mismatch but Feliks touts Euforia as performing well w/low impedance planars, which I understand may not reliably follow the "rule of 8's" impedance matching of dynamic drivers. Absent being able to audition the pairing I welcome any predictive opinions, and ultimately may just have to give it a go w/option to return MM-500 if it proves mismatched impedance-wise to the Feliks OTL.
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I’m planning on giving them both a listen at CanJam SoCal, do you have any comments on the technicalities between the two? What kind of music did you get to listen to with them?
I listen to mostly classical, acoustic jazz and some classic rock. My "aha" moment with MM-500 was Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" in which the instrument placement, separation and staging with MM-500 was spectacular, but not in a hyper-realistic way. It just sounded "correct". I also found the tonality more natural than LCD-X. Amp was LTA ZOTL, an atypical OTL in having low output impedance, hence my question about general OTL compatibility.
As you may gather, I feel the MM-500 was superior in technicalities and preferred it, though perhaps not as immediately "ear catching" as the fun, warmer tuned LCD-X.
BTW I plan to be at CanJam SoCal as well. Feel free to PM me a day or 2 before, would love to listen and compare notes / impressions with you!
As you may gather, I feel the MM-500 was superior in technicalities and preferred it, though perhaps not as immediately "ear catching" as the fun, warmer tuned LCD-X.
BTW I plan to be at CanJam SoCal as well. Feel free to PM me a day or 2 before, would love to listen and compare notes / impressions with you!
Oh nice, I listen to jazz and rock as well but also enjoy listening to busier music like metal and electronic where technically inferior transducers make the song sound like crap. (Squashing the instruments together, lose the sharp attack required for crisp electric guitars and kick drums) I’m totally down to listen to some cans and compare experiences. I hope they’ll allow us to listen to some of our own music. I can deduce whether or not I’ll like a headphone in about 5 seconds of listening to the song “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo” by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. It would make the whole process go by faster if I could just play that song for every headphone there lol. I’ll definitely shoot you a PM a bit before and we can plan it out.
TheNameIsGerald
100+ Head-Fier
as far as I can tell from https://www.audeze.com/products/mm-500, the MM-500 have now entered regular production (although https://www.headphones.com/products/audeze-mm-500-planar-magnetic-headphones still lists them as pre-order). However, there is a surprising dearth of independent information, such as reviews and measurements. Do you know of any push to get these into the hands of reviewers?
Had the opportunity to try these out at the Pacific Audio Fest.
It was show conditions so my impressions were brief and there was plenty of background noise.
I listened to these just after the LCD-5 and was thoroughly impressed by how close the two seemed. The LCD-5 was a bit less clampy but the pads were a bit more fiddly given that they have a smaller surface area that touches your head. The MM-500 was pretty clampy but the pads were very plush. Not sure if the clamp would be a problem over many hours but I am sure that you could bend the steel headband a bit to alleviate the issue.
As has been reported by others, the MM-500 tuning is not like the bigger, older Audezes that have come before it. The MM-500 definitely had ear gain. The sound was smooth and well balanced. It did not seem as open an airy as some of the old Audezes that I have tried as well. A bit more intimate of a presentation.
Definitely seems like a great option at the price point.
It was show conditions so my impressions were brief and there was plenty of background noise.
I listened to these just after the LCD-5 and was thoroughly impressed by how close the two seemed. The LCD-5 was a bit less clampy but the pads were a bit more fiddly given that they have a smaller surface area that touches your head. The MM-500 was pretty clampy but the pads were very plush. Not sure if the clamp would be a problem over many hours but I am sure that you could bend the steel headband a bit to alleviate the issue.
As has been reported by others, the MM-500 tuning is not like the bigger, older Audezes that have come before it. The MM-500 definitely had ear gain. The sound was smooth and well balanced. It did not seem as open an airy as some of the old Audezes that I have tried as well. A bit more intimate of a presentation.
Definitely seems like a great option at the price point.
Andrew_WOT
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Will we have choice of a larger headband similar to LCD-5 options?
FullBright1
Headphoneus Supremus
Bloom Audio right now has them in stock as of : 8-11-2022
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There was no larger headband option. We moved to a headband with 30% less clamping force. If you have a bigger head, you can purchase LCD-5 extended yoke rods:
https://www.audeze.com/collections/accessories/products/copy-of-standard-and-extended-lcd-yoke-rods
They should fit MM-500s. I'll make a note to update the webpage for this.
The MM-500 headband is specced to be the same as the newer LCD-5 headband in terms of clamp. The difference is that the MM-500 headband is spring steel and can loosen up with use, so if you have a problem with clamp, you can do things like stretch it over some books or a pillow or something overnight. Of course, be cautious about not over stretching, as that's not covered by warranty. The LCD-5 headband being carbon fiber is structurally rigid, and any attempt to stretch or bend may actually snap it.
As with all things, clamp is something people adjust to the longer its worn, and we can't please every single person's preference here.
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We have the Audeze MM-500 in stock and ready for shipment today, also we have a demo unit at the store, so if you are in New York City come to check them out.
https://audio46.com/products/audeze-mm-500-planar-magnetic-headphone
https://audio46.com/products/audeze-mm-500-planar-magnetic-headphone
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TheNameIsGerald
100+ Head-Fier
Kevintj604
Headphoneus Supremus
I'm still waiting for graphs and a review from one of the eight or nine reviewers that I trust for having good ears. Major retailers are already selling and shipping units so I'm shocked that we still don't have reviews and graphs. Not sure if that's a red flag or if Audeze just didn't send out any review units for some reason. I'm still excited and some of the early CanJam and NAMM impressions have me curious. My local shop won't be getting any units for a demo until much later in the year so it'll have to be a blind buy for me.
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