Headphones With The Best Battery Life

1More SonoFlow Pro HQ51 – £89.99

Combining 100 hours of battery life with advanced ANC and featuring all the modern bells and whistles expected in a wireless headphone, the SonoFlow HQ51 is a standout for it’s quality, longevity and price. It’s a great alternative to high-end models from Sony or Bose.

• Key Features: Advanced ANC, Bluetooth 5.4, and 12 EQ modes.
• Why It’s Great: Offers incredible versatility and sound quality at an unbeatable price.
• Why You Want It: Perfect for long journeys or extended listening sessions without recharging.
• Extra Detail: Comfortable enough for marathon use, thanks to its lightweight design and plush ear pads.
• Battery Life: 70-100 hours

Audeze Maxwell – £319.00 / £349.00

The Audeze Maxwell reigns as the ultimate gaming headset, combining uncompromising planar magnetic audio, ultra-low latency, an epic 80-hour battery life, and unmatched comfort for gamers and audiophiles alike. – Full Review

• Key Features: Class-leading wireless performance, ultra-low latency, and studio-grade sound.
• Why It’s Great: Engineered for gamers, the Maxwell offers unmatched audio clarity and robust build quality.
• Why You Want It: Take gaming audio to the next level with premium sound and durability for all-day sessions.
• Extra Detail: Customizable EQ presets. Includes advanced spatial audio for pinpoint sound accuracy, enhancing your competitive edge.
• Battery Life: 80 hours.

Cleer Audio Arc 3 – £229.00

The Cleer Arc 3 open-ear earbuds combine immersive Dolby Atmos sound, a secure fit, and a total 50-hour battery with its sleek touchscreen charging case. They are the perfect blend of style, safety, and practicality for those who want earphones to use on the go.

• Key Features: Open-ear design, Dolby Atmos optimization, secure fit for active lifestyles.
• Why It’s Great: The open-ear design lets you stay aware of your surroundings, making it ideal for outdoor activities.
• Why You Want It: Enjoy an immersive audio experience without sacrificing safety while on the move.
• Extra Detail: The innovative touch-screen charging case doubles as a mirror for convenience on the go.
• Battery Life: 10 hours – 50 hours with the charging case.

Final UX3000 ANC Wireless Headphones – £119

The Final Audio UX3000 delivers smooth sound, effective ANC that works even when powered off, seamless Bluetooth connectivity, foldable for easy transport/storage and has a 35 hour battery life. Paired with fantastic mic quality for calls it offers exceptional value all the way from Japan.

• Key Features: Effective ANC, carrying bag, and smooth, balanced sound.
• Why It’s Great: Delivers premium features at an accessible price, making it a standout in its category.
• Why You Want It: A perfect mix of comfort, portability, and high-quality sound for everyday use.
• Extra Detail: Comes with updated Bluetooth codecs for seamless connectivity.
• Battery Life: 35 hours.

SoundMAGIC P23BT Portable Wireless Headphones – £49.99

The SoundMAGIC P23BT is a lightweight, wireless on-ear headphone with impressive battery life of up to 60 hours, delivering warm, balanced sound and the versatility of a detachable boom mic for crystal-clear calls.

• Key Features: Foldable design, boom mic for calls, and warm, full sound signature.
• Why It’s Great: A budget-friendly choice that punches well above its weight in both audio and features.
• Why You Want It: Ideal for travel, these lightweight headphones are easy to pack and comfortable to wear.
• Extra Detail: The boom mic ensures crystal-clear communication for work or gaming on the go.
• Battery Life: 60 hours.

Best Portable Wireless DAC/AMP

iFi Audio GO blu– £199.00

An audiophile’s pocket companion, the iFi GO blu combines compact portability with impressive sound quality. This device allows you to make your wired in-ears or headphones “wireless” from the source device. With dual headphone outputs (3.5mm and 4.4mm), seamless Bluetooth connectivity and a 10-hour battery life, this little pocket rocket helps deliver high-performance audio on the go.

• Key Features: Hi-res audio support, Bluetooth 5.1, 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
• Why It’s Great: Combines portability with premium sound to elevate any headphones you pair with it.
• Why You Want It: Perfect for those who want powerful sound amplification in a pocket-sized device.
• Extra Detail: Features a balanced output for added clarity and depth in your audio.
• Battery Life: 8-10 hours.

With all these options, you’re bound to find the perfect product for your needs. Whether you prioritize battery life, sound quality, or comfort, each product in this guide offers a standout experience for those who take the plunge.

What is your favourite headphone with a long battery life? Let us know in the comments below.

For more buying tips, check out our best of guides here

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Best Headphone Amp 

iFi Audio iCAN Phantom – £3,749.00

The iCAN Phantom is the jack of all trades and the master of them all. It delivers unmatched versatility, combining top-tier solid-state and tube amplification with cutting-edge XSpace and XBass customization. It is also an Energizer. Pure end-game gear. Perfect for audiophiles, it powers any headphones with effortless precision and offers stunning sound.

Best Headphone DAC/Amp under £100

iFi Audio Go Link Max – £79.00

The all new iFi GO link Max delivers studio-quality sound with up to 241mW of output power—nearly five times that of a MacBook Pro—driving demanding headphones with ease. Compact, portable and versatile, it’s the perfect upgrade for immersive, high-fidelity audio anywhere. An upgrade over the original in every way, this is a must have for anyone who owns wired headphones.

Best Headphone Amp £100-£300

iFi audio Zen CAN 3 – £229.00

The iFi ZEN CAN 3 offers stellar sound and versatility, perfect for music, gaming, and movies. With excellent build quality and performance, it’s the standout entry-level amp and punches well above its selling price.

Best Headphone Amp £300-£1000

iFi Audio Neo iDSD 2 -£899.00

The iFi Audio NEO iDSD 2 is a versatile all-in-one home audio solution, offering improved performance, user-friendly features, and a powerful amplifier with IEMatch. It delivers a neutral, balanced sound that enhances any audio setup, making it perfect for those seeking high-quality sound without the need for extra equipment.

Best Wireless Headphones with ANC under £100

1More SonoFlow HQ50 – £89.99

The SonoFlow HQ50 is a fantastic product priced under £100. Boasting up to a 70-hour battery life, QuietMax ANC technology, a DLC 40mm driver and featuring 12 EQ modes, it delivers premium sound and comfort at a budget-friendly price—challenging pricier rivals like Sony and Bose.

Best True Wireless for Sound Quality

Final ZE8000 MK2- £199.00

The ZE8000 MK2 combines striking aesthetics with top-tier performance. They deliver sound quality that rivals the best wired earphones as well as providing all the modern features you’d expect from TWS earphones. The distinctive shape of the buds also provides insane levels of comfort and the app is a treat to use. The ZE8000 MK2 is a great overall package.

Best Wired Earphones under £50 

SoundMAGIC E11C Silver – £39.98

A Brilliant Budget Earphone that Sounds MAGIC. We have found the E11C to be a grown-up earphone with a keen knack for giving a clear and accurate presentation across the board. It is a true bargain and certainly a very good IEM for everyday use. The mic and controls are an added bonus and making use of the included case as well as regular cleaning ensures that these earphones last well beyond their warranty. Perfection? Not quite. But at £40 you will struggle to find a similar product worthy of your investment. – Full Review

Best Wired Earphones £100-£300

Final A5000 – £259

The Final A5000 IEM delivers exceptional sound quality with powerful tight bass, stunning mids and highs, all at an affordable price of £259. A perfect choice for those looking for an upgrade within this price range.

Best Wired Headphones Under £100

SoundMAGIC HP151- £88.99

The SoundMAGIC HP151 offers exceptional clarity and precision, letting finer details in your music shine. Durable, comfortable, and priced just under £90, it’s a fantastic choice for those seeking great sound from a wired headphone without breaking the bank.

Best Wired Earphones £1000-£2000

64 Audio U6t- £1,299.00

For the price, 64 Audio have created a brilliant everyday earphone that allows great insight into the recording with superb clarity and detail retrieval, wrapped up in a smooth, coherent and easy to listen to sound. They are such an easy earphone to live with. Providing a comfortable fit and refined sound that many fail to match. This is proof that 64 Audio really do know what they are doing when it comes to sound. A superb model for the price.

Best Wired Earphones £2000+ 

64 Audio tia Fourte – £3,599.00

This model pushes the boundaries and shows what’s possible with only 4 drivers. This is a hybrid design with an intricate inner shell with chambers that help shape the sound. Nothing sounds overly boosted on the Fourte, but they do have a healthy dose of impact down low. The Fourte are very revealing and will throw up flaws in recordings, but the clarity in the midrange is truly astonishing. What’s even more impressive is how the top end just extends without rolling off at all.

Best Wired Studio Earphones 

Etymotic ER-4SR – £305.95

If you are looking for neutrality, the ER-4SR are the industry standard – they do not flatter you with a smooth sound or hide any mistakes in recordings, so not great for everyday listening but superb if you want to hear every detail.

Best Wireless Headphones

Audeze Maxwell- £319.00-£349.00

• The Audeze Maxwell the best gaming headset currently on the market, but it is also superb for listiening to music too. It offers uncompromising audio quality with its planar magnetic drivers, delivering deep bass and clear mids, all in a comfortable, wireless design. An exceptional 80 hour battery life, and the ability to create and store custom EQs for different genres, it’s perfect for those seeking a pair of high-performance wireless headphones for fully immersive listening. – Full Review

Best Headphones £100-£500

Audeze MM-100 – £399.00

The Audeze MM-100 can be driven by just about any source, making it ideal for on the go. It delivers stunning transparency and musicality, especially when paired with a quality setup, completely outperforming anything else in its price bracket at just £399. Perfect for audiophiles and studio use alike, it has unbeatable value.

Best Headphones £500-£1000

Audeze LCD-2 Classic – £799.00

The LCD-2 Classic are a well controlled, but ultimately warm sounding headphone. They offer up a fatigue free sound with good width and height. If you listen to electronic centred music, old school rap/hip-hop and smoother more acoustic music they are a joy to listen to. Full Review

Best Headphones £1000-£3000 

Final D8000 – £2,999.00

Instead of going for the usual neutral-ish sound signature of most high-end models, Final instead decided to make the D8000 enjoyable, with very punchy and dynamic bass and impressive clarity across the board, the D8000 stand out from the crowd.

Best Headphones £3000+

Audeze LCD-5 -£3,999.00

The Audeze LCD-5 is a masterpiece of audiophile engineering, delivering unmatched clarity, precision, and emotional depth to your music. Audeze’s Flagship LCD has a lightweight magnesium frame and the premium materials ensure long-lasting comfort, while the cutting-edge planar magnetic drivers reveal every nuance in your favorite tracks. For those seeking the pinnacle of sound reproduction and a transformative listening experience, the LCD-5 is still there, in a league of its own. Full Review

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Audeze Maxwell Head-Tracking Support – Press Release

Los Angeles, CA – Oct 25th, 2023. Audeze, a leading premium headphone manufacturer, is proud to announce the beta launch of a significant firmware upgrade to its award-winning Maxwell headset – head tracking support – which will be compatible with the DolbyAtmos® Renderer for professional mixing. Utilizing built-in hardware already included in every Maxwell headset, this integration transforms Maxwell into a powerful tool optimized for
content creators and audio engineers mixing in Dolby Atmos.

“We plan to use the head tracking capabilities of Maxwell for future collaborations, and expect to
foster a growing community of Dolby Atmos creators,” said Sankar Thiagasamudram, Audeze CEO and founder.

Audeze Maxwell – Your Studio on the go. Get your own set here

With virtual and remote collaborations growing amongst the creative community, Audeze’s enhanced Maxwell headset is suited to meet the needs of this growing field. In parallel, the creativity community is fully embracing Dolby Atmos, making the Maxwell headset a great tool for creatives looking to break free from the traditional constraints of stereo to deliver unparalleled immersion and clarity in their mixes. All users need to do is open up their latest Dolby Atmos session, connect the Dolby Atmos Renderer application, and plug in the USB dongle or USB cable to create and monitor Dolby Atmos mixes with real-time head tracking.
Providing a highly immersive preview of their audio creations. It’s your studio on-the-go.

Maxwell’s new integration for the Dolby Atmos Renderer will offer a streamlined user experience. Users can create and monitor Dolby Atmos mixes with real-time head tracking, providing a highly immersive preview of their mix. For further information on how to enable head tracking with the Dolby Atmos Renderer on Mac or Windows machines, visit this link.

Head tracking follows the orientation of your head and allows you to interact with the virtual room in real-time when monitoring binaurally with headphones. It creates a more lifelike experience that mimics the studio environment with speakers. This can lead to greater accuracy when placing objects in the three-dimensional space. Additionally, because it approximates the mix room, you may find that you can spend more time comfortably mixing on headphones. Especially for those occasions when you’re traveling or otherwise away from the studio.

Dolby Atmos is an innovative audio experience that envelops you in an immersive soundscape. While music mixed in stereo is limited to left and right channels, music mixed in Dolby Atmos is freed from channels. Allowing artists to now place individual sounds all around you. They can also decide the volume, size, and diffusion level of each vocal, guitar, or drum to reveal nuanced details in the music. Artists can now deliver music in Dolby Atmos through several leading streaming services and the most popular devices for streaming music. Including mobile, smart speakers and even auto.

Audeze Maxwell (Xbox)Features

• Audeze HQ – 10 band graphic EQ, sidetone toggling, saving/editing presets (coming soon!), the place to easily upgrade the firmware. A great app to perfect your desired sound signature and a must for any competitive gamer out there.
• Dolby Atmos – Pre-paid license that can now take advantage of head tracking support for your professional mixes
• Brand new chassis – Built with aluminium and steel.
• Award-winning – Audeze 90mm planar magnetic drivers
• Wired Connection – Absolutely Top Notch with the AUX cable into a controller or via a USB into the PC.
• Volume control – Separate controls for the Volume and the Mic which allows for great control of sound mix.
• Pre-installed Presets – Easy to toggle through the EQ presets. the Immersive preset is a must try, phenomenal.
• 80hr+ Battery Life – With Fast Charge for All Day Play in 20 min
• Bluetooth 5.3 – Also supports LE Audio, LC3plus, LDAC

Still Interested? Read our own in house review of the Audeze Maxwell here.

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The sound from these headphones for gaming is beyond phenomenal

Sound Quality: 12/10

Sound is subjective, but the sound from these headphones for gaming is nothing short of phenomenal. The detail is outrageous. The soundstage and direction are astonishing, simply beyond description. They work so well with spatial audio programs (such as Tempest) to deliver an immersive sound that you can now not live without. With the Audeze HQ app, you can create custom presets (coming soon!) and create sound profiles for specific games. The pre-installed presets offer a great variety of tuning and are easy to change with a few clicks and swishes on the volume wheel. This is the best sound from a gaming headset that I have ever heard. I am not sure if it can be topped.

Design: 10/10

The Audeze Maxwell gaming headset design is an upgrade to the Penrose in every conceivable way. It has a perfect balance of a simple, sleek looking headset with an air of quality that is captivating, but not ostentatious in the slightest. The smokey grey / black colour palette provides a subtlety that this is stylish and the small Audeze logo above the ear cups reminds you just how lucky you are that Audeze make gaming headsets. Finally, the earpads look almost fluffy and robust at the same time, you just want to squeeze them.

The longest I have used them in a one-er was 8 hours and I could have really worn them for 8 more.

Comfort: 9.5/10

Another subjective topic but these headphones fit great. Despite the weight (450-500 grams) they are extremely comfortable. The new headband design really spreads the weight out and they do not feel as heavy as they objectively are. After adjusting the strap by one notch, they sit on my head in between tight/ loose, Maybe I got lucky but I felt like Goldilocks when I put them back on my head.

The earpads are extremely comfortable and they fit my big ears fine. I could really wear them all day. They lose half a point because sometimes my ears can get a bit too heated (I am not sure if this is really a result of the earpads getting a bit stuffy or a result of the total immersion making me sweat more). A bit more testing is required here ;). The longest I have used them in a one-er was 8 hours and I could have really worn them for 8 more. They are also very flexible and rest perfect around your neck due to the swivel on the cups.

Wireless Signal: 10/10

People used to complain about the poor range of the wireless signal for the Penrose. Let’s just say the Maxwell has eliminated any lingering issues here. If my eyes were good enough, I am pretty sure I could play my Playstation from my neighbours house and the sound would still be lossless. The connection is 100% stable via dongle or bluetooth. With capabilities for Bluetooth 5.3 as well as LE Audio, LC3plus, LDAC codecs, it all but guarantees these headphones are going to be viable for years to come.

Mic: 10/10

The boom mic is fantastic and the AI noise suppression tech is beyond incredible. People can always hear me clearly and for in-game chat it is perfect. The mic is in fact so good, I have started using the headset to answer calls at work. You can turn the sidetone on or off, as well as having 3 settings for the AI filter system (low, high or off).

Let’s Talk about the Sound

The Soundstage of the Maxwell is absolutely fantastic. Simply put you have to try them out to understand. Playing Apex legends, I can perfectly pin point where the bullets are coming from and work out if the players footsteps are above or below me. With Tempest audio on, you even get a sense of perception of just how far (or near) they are to you. I am pretty sure I can now work out what character I am chasing/ be chased by just from the footsteps! Those sweaty Wraiths now stand no chance against me (Huwah ah ah). It is like having a second controller but not only that, a second controller which brings you directly into the world you are playing.

Away from competitive gaming and into the wonderful world (and surroundings) of Hogwarts, my mind was shattered into pieces. I do not normally play single player games with a headset. But naturally I had to give it a go with the Maxwell. The music from the 4 different vivariums was literally flowing through me. When I turned my character in a different direction in a dungeon and heard something behind me, I had the urge to look behind me IRL. In two words: Absolutely captivating.

The bass is boomy when it needs to be and the sub-bass is colossal. Gunshots, explosions & footsteps are more realistic than ever before. There are actual textural details that can be heard (and felt!) with said impacts, explosions and things such as your character interacting with inanimate objects.

The scurrying of the spiders around the next upcoming corner literally sent shivers up my spine. Flying my Night Dancer Broom under moonlight with the Maxwells on allowed for a sense of immersion I never experienced in my living room before. The wind was blowing my hair, the 360 degree-ness of what you can hear and just how every detail can be heard as well as felt, made a fantasy game about witches and wizards into a quasi hyper-realistic experience.

In not so emotional terms:

The Audeze Maxwell has great width, but its height and depth is where it truly shines. It is really rare for a wireless headphone to have such good imaging as well as such a massive dynamic soundstage. This also means that these headphones are not just for games. They are suitable for listening to music too and I highly recommend it!

Presets and my love of the V shape sound for gaming

I have used the Maxwell nearly exclusively with the “immersive” preset. Which essentially EQ’s it into a “V” shape. For myself and others who are not really Audiophiles, this means the immersive preset for the Audeze Maxwell has an amplified low end, a toned down mid range, and an amplified high end. This tuning works very well for games and with the Audeze Maxwell this essentially means that sound effects are more vivid and memorable. These sound effects get clear detail from the treble boost and a roar of energy from the boosted lows. In-game actions such as swapping guns, reloading, jumping, opening and closing doors, sheathing or unsheathing your sword (or wand!) have a satisfying crispness that I never knew existed. These are the perfect gaming headphones for me, I have peaked.

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Audeze MM-500: The Sound

First impressions when paired with FiiO E07K headphone amp shows the MM-500‘s neutral and balanced character. With a closer listen slight lifts in frequencies can be heard while still keeping the tone natural and harmonious. There is slight warmth and vividness while keeping the sound realistic and natural sounding. Listening to EDM and heavy metal revealed new, unheard layering to music. Switching to funk and jazz made the music shine and pop in pleasant ways keeping me entertained for hours.

These headphones really make me feel like I am in the club or studio, so much to love.

Although designed to be used in professional mixing environments, listening to different music genres really highlights the multi-talent of the Audeze MM-500 being a jack-of-all-trades. Low impedance and sensitivity make the MM-500 easy to drive from most sources, even when plugged straight to my Oppo A57s smartphone – although they do benefit greatly when paired with some form of amplification.

The MM-500 does not shy away from electronic music with deep rumbling bass that shows no distortion when listening to Drum & Bass – while funk and jazz sparkles and shines with an ‘alive’ sound. These headphones really make me feel like I am in the club or studio, so much to love.

Comfort

As soon as the MM-500 are placed on my head I could feel that this is a quality headphone. It seems quite heavy at first, but the headband distributes the weight evenly. The slightly sloped ear pads encase the ears and gently hug the sides – again with just the right clamping force. Even after using for 2+ hours, there is nothing to complain about in the comfort zone – I just want to listen more!

Build Quality

As soon as these Audeze headphones are taken out of the box it becomes clear this is a serious headphone. The materials used throughout feel luxurious, the sturdy headband and folding ear cups blend perfectly together in a medley of sensations when holding. An understated, minimalistic look on the ear cups completes the indulgent feel of the MM-500. They feel and look extraordinary.

A surprising talented headphone in the studio and on a home Hi-Fi system

It is initially quite heavy in the hands – but the ease of which the earcups swing and fold flat – the cranking of the headband pins before placing on the head – and the way the leather headband sits snugly on the head – makes the MM-500 virtually vanish when the music kicks in.

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PREFER EARPHONES? READ MORE: Best Earphones 2024

BEST ENTRY LEVEL HIGH-END

Audeze MM-100 – £399.00

The Audeze MM-100 is a versatile headphone designed for both studio engineers and music enjoyers on a budget. It can be driven by just about any source, making it ideal for life on the go. With its Audeze patented planar magnetic drivers, it delivers precise, studio-quality audio with incredible detail and clarity, making it ideal for mixing, mastering, or casual listening. The sound is stunning, especially when paired with a quality setup and completely outperforms anything else in its price bracket at just £399. Lightweight and comfortable, the MM-100 ensures long sessions are a breeze and gives an immersive listening experience to anyone who put them over their ears.

BEST BUDGET WIRED HEADPHONES

SoundMAGIC HP151- £88.99

The SoundMAGIC HP151 offers excellent audio quality with a balanced sound signature and impressive detail for its price. Its spacious soundstage and comfortable design make it an ideal choice for budget-conscious listeners seeking reliable, wired performance. Priced just under £90, it is a great pick for anyone looking to upgrade without breaking the bank.

BEST WIRELESS HEADPHONES

1More SonoFlow HQ51– £89.99

If earphones aren’t your thing, then the SonoFlow HQ51 makes a perfect upgrade choice under £100. With its extended 70 to 100-hour battery life, advanced ANC, The SonoFlow HQ51 also features an all new DLC 40mm dynamic driver. Comfortable to wear, it is equiped with Bluetooth 5.4 and has 12 EQ modes, it’s ideal for immersive listening at an affordable price. The SonoFlow is a great alternative challenger to the pricier options out there from Sony, Bose and Sennheiser.

final UX3000 ANC Wireless Headphones – £119

Final have really worked their magic here. Solid build quality, paired with great sound and effective ANC for under £120 is something rarely heard of. Add to that fantastic mic quality and you have an absolute bargain on offer. The UX3000 can be recommend to absolutely anyone looking for a portable over-ear headphone and you will only see smiles on their faces.

SoundMAGIC P23BT Portable Wireless Headphones – £49.99

How do they do it? SoundMAGIC have once again made a killer headphone for a super price. The P23BT doubles up as a headset too with the included cable and boom mic (great for home office or even gaming). In addition, the headphone is lightweight and comfortable. Add into the mixer an incredibly impressive battery life and a simple ease of use and you have got yourself a bargain. They sound full and warm yet never bass heavy. They really do sound incredible and for a Wireless on ear headphone what more could you want?

WATCH VIDEO: SoundMAGIC P23BT Wireless On Ear Headphone Review

READ MORE: Christmas Gift Guide 2024

BEST OVER-EAR HEADPHONES

5. Audeze LCD-X Planar Magnetic Full Size Headphones – £1149

The Audeze LCD-X are a real eye-catching headphone. For a retail price that seems crazy at first glance, the bottom line is that the price-performance ratio of this headphones is absolutely fantastic. Not only due to the impeccable manufacture, but also a robust construction, use of high-quality materials and wonderful, detailed sound Loved by Audiophiles and sound engineers alike. If you want to give yourself a birthday or Christmas present, you can safely consider surprising yourself with the Audeze LCD-X.

READ MORE: Audeze LCD-X Planar Magnetic Headphones

READ MORE: Christmas Gift Guide 2024

Audeze MM-500 Planar Magnetic Full Size Studio Headphones – £1699

Audeze MM-500 is designed to suit the requirements of long daily listening sessions under almost any condition. World-class studio monitor? Check. Quick reference on-the-go? No problem. Deep late-night listening? Done. With its ease of drive, comfortable fit and trustworthy sound, you can count on the MM-500 to deliver in every situation. The MM-500’s planar magnetic drivers provide realism that audio professionals like Manny “can’t live without.” With lightning-fast transients, accurate frequency response and trusted mix translation.

READ MORE: Audeze MM-500 Planar Magnetic Studio Headphones

Final D8000 – £2,999.00

Instead of going for the usual neutral-ish sound signature of most high-end models, Final instead decided to make the D8000 enjoyable, with very punchy and dynamic bass and impressive clarity across the board, the D8000 stand out from the crowd.

Audeze LCD-5 -£3,999.00

The Audeze LCD-5 is a masterpiece of audiophile engineering, delivering unmatched clarity, precision, and emotional depth to your music. Audeze’s Flagship LCD has a lightweight magnesium frame and the premium materials ensure long-lasting comfort, while the cutting-edge planar magnetic drivers reveal every nuance in your favorite tracks. For those seeking the pinnacle of sound reproduction and a transformative listening experience, the LCD-5 is still there, in a league of its own. Full Review

READ MORE: Christmas Gift Guide 2024

BEST GAMING HEADPHONES

Audeze Maxwell Ps5/Xbox – £319.00/£349.00.

The Audeze Maxwell redefines what a wireless gaming headset can be. With its planar magnetic drivers, it offers astonishingly clear, detailed sound that brings games and music to life. Combine this with ultra-low latency performance, an 80-hour battery, and a premium build, and you have a headset that’s as serious about sound as it is about gaming. The Maxwell remains the gold standard for serious gamers and audiophiles alike and a must have in 2024

Have We Missed Anything Out?

Please feel free to leave a comment below and let us know…

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All About Audeze

As you are well aware, Audeze is a California based high-end audio manufacturer known for delivering some of the most accurate sound reproduction products available today. In other words, they specialise in making luxury high-end planar magnetic headphones. Founded in circa 2009 by Alexander Rosson and Sankar Thiagasamudram, their products are designed from the ground up and engineered with the latest innovations in materials & technology. This is paired with precision craftsmanship to produce products with an astonishingly dynamic and immersive sound. Audeze’s commitment to research and development is reflected in every one of their products from the CRBN, LCD-5 to the Maxwell, Euclid and beyond.

What Does Audeze Mean?

Everyone

Audeze’s mission is to “create the best headphones in the world”, that much is clear. But everyone hears differently, so how can there possibly be “The One Headphone to Rule Them All” so to speak? Drumroll…. There’s not! Audeze’s real mission is to create the best headphone in the world for everyone out there, this is why there is not one Flagship Model but 4 and all manner of products in between.

Making Planar Magnetic Fashionable Again

Audeze’s continued innovation in planar magnetic driver technology has produced plenty of options for audiophiles, gamers, music makers alike. A popular thing in the 70’s, Audeze has managed to bring back / reinvent this technology not only as a USP but with the belief that Planar Magnetic is the way to go for great sounding headphones. This hunch, or commitment has been justified by not only the brand’s success but how others are now emulating what Audeze does day to day. Audeze’s continued innovation in planar magnetic driver technology in open or closed back, over-the-ear & in-ear products has produced plenty of options for everyone, with both small and large budgets.

Just what are planar magnetic drivers? Instead of a coil of wire, there is a thin membrane separated by an array of magnets in front and behind. When electrical sound signals are sent to the membrane it starts to move/ vibrate, thanks to the magnetic field and as a result it produces sound. For the benefits and negatives of this technology, you will need to go down a rabbit hole on the internet.

The Odyssey of Audeze: How do you pronounce it?
…is it Awwdeez or Awe-de-ze or Oh-de-sea?

Please let us know in the comments, we would really like to know!

Flagship Models

Just what are they? “The culmination of decades of research and development. Featuring our Nano-scale or carbon nanotube diaphragms, Fluxor magnet arrays, and Uniforce voice coils, Audeze’s Flagship series represents the pinnacle of audiophile technology.

LCD-5 – “The very definition of Uncompromised Audio. Representing more than 40 years of research and development in planar magnetic headphone technology, the LCD-5 stands in a class of its own.”

LCD-4Z – “Experience the unrivaled audio quality of our Flagship LCD-4 without the need for an amplifier. No other headphone in the world features such a robust and musically engaging sound signature in such an efficient package.”

CRBN ELECTROSTATIC – “Featuring the most advanced electrostatic technology in decades, the CRBN electrostatic headphone features a new Patent-pending polymer film with suspended carbon nanotubes for sparkling clarity, incredible transparency, transient speed, and bass response.”

LCD-i4 – “Represents the pinnacle of both audio quality and technological innovation for In Ear Monitoring. This groundbreaking in-ear headphone features the same Nano-Scale Uniforce diaphragm found in our LCD-4 and 4z. Paired with our powerful Fluxor magnet array to offer one of the most responsive, detailed, engaging, and immersive listening experiences in the world.”

Audeze Artists

You will find Audze’s reference series models in world-class studios and listening rooms all over the world. Audeze Artists and listeners everywhere use words like neutral, trustworthy and game-caning to describe them. So you know you will be hearing exactly what the artists themselves intended. The models in their reference series are the LCD-X, LCD-XC, LCD-MX4 & the MM-500. They are trusted and well reviewed around the entire world and if you’re a sound producer needing an upgrade, look no further!

You can read more about Audeze Artists, watch reviews, explanation videos and find out exactly why Audeze headphones are the professional’s go to choice here.

Gaming

It is safe to say that Audeze have been expanding their headphone product line a lot within the past few years. Not only is there an Origins Series; LCD-2, LCD-2 classic, LCD-2 Closed & the LCD-3. There is also an In-Ear Series featuring the Euclid, LCDi4 & the LCDi3. On top of these wonderful products there is a whole other beast in Gaming. Gaming is a fast rising market trend and has become an explosive market in the last 10 years. Audeze have managed to tap into this gaming-orientated audiophile quality headphone market, where hearing footsteps is the one thing between life and death (online).

Some of the top gaming headphones out there!

Both the Mobius and the LCD-GX are very different gaming headsets from each other, but that’s part of the beauty of them. Not only have both been considered some of the top gaming headphones out there (thanks to their state-of-the-art technology, design and that remarkable Audeze sound quality). They are both designed with specific uses and people budgets in mind. So gamers can really get the best quality possible within their means.

Introducing Maxwell

Maxwell is an evolved (and seriously upgraded) successor to the Audeze Penrose gaming headset. The great news for gamers out there is that all their feedback from the Penrose/ Penrose X has been absorbed by Audeze and the changes made with the Maxwell are considerable. It has a chassis made of aluminum and steel (longevity +++). The integrated battery will also last up to 80 hours and if you forget to charge your headset, a 20 minute charge will get the headset to work for a full day (Battery +++! In addition to this, a new noise filter has been integrated (FILTER is Audeze tech).

Dolby Atmos is also supported, but this only applies to the Xbox version or for use on the PC. The microphone is also detachable. It is a boom microphone with hypercardioid characteristics (think broadcasting microphones) that has 5 beamforming mics integrated too. So yes, when it gets sweaty on the battlefield, you will still sound clear as day. More info here

Timeline of Releases

• 2009: LCD-1 and LCD-2 prototypes revealed at CanJam
• 2010: LCD-2 launched
• 2011: LCD-3 Launched
• 2012: LCD-2 gets updated connectors and cable
• 2013: LCD-X Launched, LCD-3 & LCD-2 get Fazors
• 2014: product of the year awarded to LCD-2 by headphone.guru
• 2015: LCD-4 Released
• 2016: LCD-X LCD-2/ LCD-3/LCD-4 get new drivers, iSine 10 released
• 2017: LCD-MX4 / LCD-2 Classic, LCD-i4, iSine 10 Black/Steel Edition released. Sine headphones win Red Dot award
• 2018: LCD-4z launched
• 2019: Limited Edition LCD-24, LCD-GX gaming headphone, LCD-1, LCD i3, Audeze Mobius wireless PC gaming headset come to market
• 2019: LCDi3 wins best UIEM from Headfonia
• 2020: Penrose / Penrose X launched. LCD-5 wins best open headphone award from headfonia, LCD-1 wins best portable over ear from Tech Radar
• 2021: Limited Edition LCD-R, CRBN Electrostatic, LCD-5, Euclid, LCD-XC are released
• 2022: MM-500, FILTER Bluetooth Conference Speakerphone released
• 2023: Maxwell drops in Q1 23

Our Top 5 Audeze Product Picks

1.Audeze LCD-5 – £3,999.00

For the price you would expect these to be some of the best headphones on the market. Guess what? They absolutely are indeed. The LCD-5 have that gorgeous textured and full Audeze bass response you would expect, but it is so much more controlled now. The midrange is open, clear and detailed and the treble extends effortlessly without ever becoming harsh. These are resolving yet enjoyable. They have a reference like tuning without coming across clinical. They have an honest presentation without too much colouration or sweetness to the sound. Their greatest attribute is that they can simply play whatever you throw at them with ease.

2.Audeze LCD- X – £1,149.00

If you want to give yourself or someone you know a birthday or Christmas present, you can safely consider surprising yourself/them with the Audeze LCD-X. The Audeze LCD-X is a real eye-catching headphone. For a retail price that seems crazy at first glance, the bottom line is that the price-performance ratio of this headphones is absolutely fantastic. Not only due to the impeccable manufacture, but also a robust construction, use of high-quality materials and wonderful, detailed sound Loved by Audiophiles and sound engineers alike.

3. Audeze CRBN Electrostatic– £4,500.00

Watch our video review of the CRBN here.

4. Audeze LCD-2 Classic – £649.00

The LCD-2 Classic are a well controlled, but ultimately warm sounding headphone. They offer up a fatigue free sound with good width and height. If you listen to electronic centred music, old school rap/hip-hop and smoother more acoustic music they are a joy to listen to. Full Review

5. Audeze Maxwell – £319.00-£349.00

“After years of relentless innovation building the world’s best wireless gaming headset, Audeze presents Maxwell, designed from the ground up for serious gamers. Sound quality, wireless performance, and battery life are all pushed to new extremes, along with the latest spatial audio features and multi-platform compatibility.” – We cannot wait to get our hands on them in Q1 2023.

Latest Audeze Updates and News:

Headphones with the Best Battery Life

December 13, 2024

When you’re on the move or working through a busy day, nothing beats the convenience of headphones or wireless earbuds that keep going as long as you do. Long battery life is crucial, whether you’re commuting, traveling, gaming, or simply enjoying your favorite playlists. Here, we’ve rounded up the best…

HiFiHeadphones Best Buy list

November 29, 2024

Take a look at our list of best products in different categories and price points. This is our Best Buy List for 2024!

Audeze Maxwell Head-Tracking Announced

October 26, 2023

Surprise! So, it turns out the electronics for head-tracking have always been included in every single Audeze Maxwell that has ever been shipped. The news however, is that Audeze has just announced the beta launch of a firmware upgrade that finally enables said head tracking support – which will at…

Audeze Maxwell Review

The Audeze Maxwell is a revelation. The battery life is superb. The imaging is vivid and the soundstage is incredible. The wireless connections are solid and the microphone clarity is just one of the many cherries on top. You really can wear these for hours at a time and you…

Audeze MM-500 Review

The MM-500 tick all the boxes: luxury build, excellent comfort levels and, for me the perfect sound with just the right amount of tuning in the mid-low and high frequencies. For the price the MM-500 are a surprising talented headphone that is at home in the studio just as much…

The post Brand Story: Audeze appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

AUDEZE MAXWELL

Pre-Order the AUDEZE Maxwell Now!

After years of relentless innovation building the world’s best wireless gaming headset, Audeze presents Maxwell, designed from the ground up for serious gamers. Sound quality, wireless performance, and battery life are all pushed to new extremes, along with the latest spatial audio features and multi-platform compatibility.

Audeze HQ

Award-winning Audeze 90mm planar magnetic drivers

A real plus on the forthcoming Maxwell are Audeze 90mm planar magnetic drivers. These have already received a number of awards and, because of their size, will provide a fantastic sound for gaming, delivering powerful bass and pinpoint precision. It must be noted that many other popular gaming headsets only use 40 mm drivers here. The drivers are supplemented by other extra tech in the equipment list such as: Uniforce voice coils, fluxor magnets and Fazor waveguides.

In layman’s terms, the integrated technology will provide high-resolution sound with bit rates of up to 96 kHz / 24 bit. This applies to the connection of the headset via USB as well as with Bluetooth 5.3. When using Bluetooth, there will be many advantages compared to current 2.4 GHz technology. The range will go three times as far before disconnecting and the latency will be significantly lower than competitor models.

New design, upgraded chassis & more!

As you might expect here Audeze have given their new gaming headset a complete overhaul. The Maxwell has a chassis made of aluminum and steel (longevity +++). The integrated battery will also last up to 80 hours and if you forget to charge your headset, a 20 minute charge will get the headset to work for a full day (Battery +++! In addition to this, a new noise filter has been integrated (FILTER is Audeze tech). Dolby Atmos is also supported, but this only applies to the Xbox version or for use on the PC. The microphone is also detachable. It is a boom microphone with hypercardioid characteristics (think broadcasting microphones) that has 5 beamforming mics integrated too. So yes, when it gets sweaty on the battlefield, you will still sound clear as day.

Key Features:

• 80hr+ Battery Life with Fast Charge for All Day Play in 20 min
• Ultra-Low Latency Wireless with 3X Range of Traditional 2.4Ghz
• First-in-Class Bluetooth 5.3 supports LE Audio, LC3plus, LDAC
• Class-Leading High-Resolution Audio up to 24-bit/96kHz
• Embedded Dolby Atmos® License (Xbox version only)
• All-New Reinforced Chassis Built with Aluminum and Steel
• FILTER Noise Reduction Technology for Clear Communications
• Award-winning Audeze 90mm Planar Magnetic Drivers

View Comparison and Compatibility Chart

You can Pre-Order the Audeze Maxwell Today!

Interested in all things Audeze? Check out more news and reviews on our Blog here

The post Pre-Order The Audeze Maxwell Today! appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

AUDEZE MM-500

Pre-Order the AUDEZE MM-500 Now!

The MM-500 has been specifically designed to deliver studio-quality sound and have also been reimagined for mixes that translate well and capture the emotion the artist always intended. They have also been built and designed to offer all-day comfort. The planar magnetic drivers feature patented Audeze technologies to deliver lightning-fast transients and accurate frequency response that professionals really rely on. The MM-500’s low impedance and efficiency also ensure compatibility with virtually all audio interfaces and consoles.

‘Thanks for getting the MM-500 to me so quickly. I worked on them most of yesterday and I think they could be my favourite headphones. They have the imaging accuracy and punch of the LCD-5 and also the warmth and width of the Neumann ndh-30. Really liking them and will carry on working with them. I think they could be the perfect studio headphones.’

M Duplock purchased 15th August 2022

Key Features:

• Specifically designed to deliver mixes that consistently translate well.
• Like near-field monitors, they also remove your room from the equation and give you studio-quality sound anywhere
• Durable, lightweight chassis featuring machined aluminum and spring steel
• Compatible with virtually all audio interfaces or consoles
• Designed in collaboration with award-winning producer/mixer Manny Marroquin

You can Pre-Order the New Audeze MM-500 Today!

Interested in all things Audeze? Check out more news and reviews on our Blog here

The post PRE-ORDERS Open: Audeze MM-500 appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

CanJam London 2022 Update: It’s that time of year again!

We are very excited to be attending CanJam London 2022 on July 30th and 31st at Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge.

We will of course be attending with some of our favourite brands and showcasing some of their amazing products. From new releases to old favourites, it is going to be a blast.

Undoubtably, this will be a CanJam to remember. Due to the Covid pandemic, we have been without the show for the last few years (check out our review/ interviews from the last one in 2019 here). We are absolutely frothing at the bit to get amongst the action again! Indeed, CanJam is the place to try all of the best headphones, earphones, DACs, AMPs, DAPs and IEMs under one roof with likeminded people. Obviously we are all there to discover how best to listen to our favourite recordings.

To celebrate, we are running a sale on our brands that are going to CanJam London 2022! Make sure to check out our sale page over on Hifiheadphones for big discounts for a limited time only:

Hifiheadphones CanJam London 2022 Sale

Not only is this a chance to try out these amazing products. It’s also your chance to meet the people behind your favourite brands. Here is a list of just a few brands attending CanJam London 2022:

Audeze, 64 Audio, Focal, HifiMan, Campfire Audio, final, Rupert Neve, Burson, Westone, Chord, Roon, dCS, Meze, Rosson Audio and many many more.

CanJam Sneak Peek Time with Important Updates

As a matter of fact, the reason for this is to give you an idea of what brands we will be representing at CanJam 2022. Below are also some of the products you can expect to see.

Audeze

Audeze are going big this year. In addition to six tables of goods (SIX!) showcasing lots of favourites, there is also a very special newcomer! On show will be LCD-5. CRBN, LCD-X, LCD-XC, LCD-3, LCD-2 Classic. Euclid, Penrose and the brand new MM-500. All products will be powered by some of the finest equipment from the likes of Chord, Burson, Weiss and Eksonic.

Campfire Audio

This year, Campfire Audio is all about the Trifecta! Don’t worry though. There will be enough for everyone to try this new, completely unique IEM from one of the most interesting audio brands of today. For those that want to try other legendary favourites, we will also have Andromeda, Holocene and Supermoon samples there too.

final / Hifonix

Also, our friends over at Hifonix will be showcasing the brand new final D8000 Pro Limited edition. In all of it’s stunning, goldlike lovlyness, it is going to be a crowd pelaser. Certainly make sure to make your way over to their table to check out this rare, majestic work of headphone art!

64 Audio

You can meet the 64 Audio team this year as well as and try some of their finest IEMs. Absolutely make sure to check out the U6t, DUO, U12t, Tia Fourte, U18s, Nio and even more (these are only the universals) from the worlds best pro and custom IEM specialists.

Burson

Burson will be supplying headphone amps and DACs to a number of our brands this year. So you will not only get the chance to try out their incredible products, they will be paired with some of the best headphones in the world!

Westone Audio

With the recent release of the MACH Series of IEMs. Westone Audio will be showcasing the full range at this years CanJam. This is a rare opportunity to test out all 8 models in this impressive and diverse line-up.

Lastly but not Finally..

To celebrate the return of CanJam London, we will also be having a special CanJam 2022 page setup on Hifiheadphones with exclusive offers on some of the best products showing at this years event. Be sure to check out the CanJam 2022 Special page on Hifiheadphones from 30th July to 1st August to get some amazing deals on the best audio gear out there!

The post CanJam London 2022: News, Sale and Best Headphones Guide appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Interested in having a demo with the CRBN? Please reach out to us via our contact form (with the dates you are free) here

The post Audeze CRBN Electrostatic Headphone Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Oscar has a written review of the LCD-5 here. If you want to get your hands on a pair, you can preoder an LCD-5 here

The post Audeze LCD 5 High End Planar Magnetic Headphone Review – are these the king of all planars? appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Design: 10/10

Audeze has swapped their signature wood rings for wonderful looking tortoise shell acetate rings. As you can see below, in the right light the rings really pop and they are majestic to look at. Other slight changes, such as a different headband shape with a beautiful looking carbon fibre strab on top among as well as general weight reductions makes the LCD-5 a lot lighter (and therefore more comfortable) than their predecessors. The earcups are another diversion from previous Audeze headphones, with a concave construction (sort of bowl shaped) that tapers in from the lip. This was done to allow the LCD-5 to produce a purer, more detailed soun.d by reducing unwanted sound reflections indside the cups. Overall, all these minor tweaks (plus plenty unmentioned on the inside) have created a definitive flagship, a new sound and arguably redesigned what we used to know as that Audeze Audiophile Sound.

A definitive flagship, with a brand new Audeze Audiophile Sound

Comfort and Fit: 9/10

As mentioned above, the slight changes in the design has resulted in the LCD-5 being much more comfortable than their previous Flagships. As well as being much lighter, the new earpads are soft and spacious. The comfort strap headband is sleeker yet perfectly distributes the weight across the top of your head. There is plenty of adjustment in the headband for heads of all shapes and sizes. They clamp force is moderate, which provides a secure fit but also one that isn’t too tight or uncomfortable. Simply put, the LCD-5 is one of the most comfortable Audeze headphones to date.

Sound 10/10

Not only is the LCD-5 sporting a brand new exterior, but a new driver structure altogether. Naturally, it’s still a planar-magnetic headphone. However, it has dispensed with the LCD-4’s double-sided, 106mm fluxor magnet array in favor of a single-sided, 90mm fluxor magnet array that’s paired with Audeze’s updated Fazor waveguides and their new Parallel Uniforce voice coils to better control diaphragm movement and improve the resolution that can be achieved.

The Result?

An outstandingly neutral and natural sounding pair of headphones whose remarkable speed makes them sound light and precise.

The detail provided by the LCD-5 is simply astounding.

Bass:

Audeze are well renowned for their great bass response and with the LCD-5 they have gone for a more reference style tuning, aiming for neutrality over the warm sound of the LCD-2/3. The LCD-5 still have that slightly fuller sounding low end that Audeze users love. It is now just more controlled and there is less bloom in the bass. The low end is puchy and articulate along with having endless extension. You never miss out on anything ever in the low end. There is an effortless and realistic presentation that never disrupts the lower midrange.

Midrange:

Due to the controlled nature of the bass, there is no bleeding into the midrange allowing all vocals and instruments to come through with precision and clarity. I listened to these back to back with the LCD-4 and the LCD-5 is a lot crisper and more open in the midrange. Subtle details are easy to pick out, yet both male and female vocals sound utterly effortless and natural. Whether it’s an electric or acoustic guitar you hear what is recorded. Powerful crunching riffs or delicate finger picking, you hear it all. Every sound is easily separated from other layers in the mix but form an overall sound that is coherent and whole.

This is one of the most accurate midrange reproductions I have heard to date.

Treble:

The LCD-5 seem to favour the upper treble and don’t have an abundance of energy in the lower treble which is good for those more prone to fatigue. Luckily snares still snap with authority and everything is still very clean and clear. The treble is very airy and open, the extension is incredible with no noticeable early roll-off. One the the standout qualities in the treble is the actual placement. There is really good height to the soundstage so cymbals and the like occupy their own space with expert precision. The detail retrieval again is done with refinement and finesse, rather than throwing it at you, it allows you to hear should you wish to listen for it.

Genres and Soundstaging

The LCD-5 really do lend their hand to anything, they have the power and speed for metal, the visceral punch for electronic, the dynamics for classical and the finesse for acoustic. These will handle anything and everything you throw at them.

The soundstaging is also phenomenal. The LCD-5 are open and airy. They have excellent width and height and there is also superb layering along with pinpoint accuracy. There are so good, that sometimes you will wonder if the sound is truly coming from the headphones.

About Pairing:

The LCD-5 are a high-end headphone. It is therefore no surprise that these are not built to be used with your smartphone. These really do demand a proper desktop rig to sound their best. We have them paired with the Burson Audio Conductor 3X Reference in our demo room. This really is a superb pairing which we could not put in higher regard. The Burson amp/DAC combo’s work so well with all Audeze products. Providing tons of clean power without any sort of harshness. There is an ever so slight hint of smoothness to the Burson amps that just keeps you wanting to listen more.

Liked our review of the Audeze LCD-5? Then keep up to date with all news Audeze as well as more reviews here.

The post Audeze LCD-5 Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

The LCD-5 sets a new standard for accuracy. Its drivers are engineered with their award-winning Fluxor magnets and updated Fazor waveguides along with their new Patent-pending Parallel Uniforce voice coils, which employ varying width parallel traces to keep the impedance low and provide increased voltage headroom by altering the current density within each trace. The uniform force created by this optimization lowers distortion and provides better control over diaphragm movement, resulting in improved sonic resolution.

Weighing in at only 420 grams, the LCD-5 offers hours of listening pleasure. Every part has been re-engineered, using materials such as magnesium, aluminium and acetate which offer light weight and high rigidity. When you put on a pair of LCD-5s, your head and ears are cradled in materials of the finest quality. Supple premium leather and carbon-fibre pull all the elements together into a package of the finest craftsmanship, which are hand-assembled in their California workshop.

The LCD-5 cable is specially tuned with directional OCC high-purity copper strands that provide a low capacitance and low resistance path for the signal to travel from your amp to the drivers, maintaining unsurpassed clarity and precision.

Available to pre-order now: https://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/products/audeze-lcd-5-open-back-headphones-with-detachable-cable-leather

The post Audeze LCD-5 Product Release appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

p.s (they also do a great job for music listening)

The Penrose is equipped with Audeze’s 100mm planar magnetic drivers, a high-performance microphone, and a 2.4 GHz low-latency lossless dual wireless connection. This means gamers can experience the best in audio quality and wireless functionality at the same time. With the Audeze HQ App, you can fully customize your sound experience. With sound profile selection and presets as well as a a brand new 10-band EQ specifically for Penrose.

Get Your Game On

Make sure you check out the full listing and product breakdown on audeze.co.uk here.

T3 is very enthusiatic about the qualities of the Penrose: “This is a headset that’s really well put together, with no hint of cheapness or flimsiness anywhere. It feels like a piece of hardware that’s going to last a long time. While it’s robust, the Audeze Penrose headset is also comfortable to wear, and you’ll have no problems wearing this for an extended period of time while you’re gaming. The on-board controls are all easily accessible and intuitive to use, too. It’s the audio quality that really sets the Audeze Penrose headset apart though. Even though there’s no surround sound feature, the special planar magnetic drivers that Audeze has developed do a wonderful job. You can use the headset connected to your computer or wirelessly, and if you choose the latter you get about 15 hours of battery life before you’ll have to recharge the device again.”

You can see the featured buying guide here: Best PC Gaming Headset 2021.

Do not forget to check out all of our reviews and news of Audeze’s products throughout our blog!

The post Audeze Penrose Wins “Best Premium Gaming Headset” from T3 appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Fit and Comfort

The new Audeze Euclid are a little on the larger side, this is down to the fact they house an 18mm planar magnetic drive inside. However Audeze have managed to make them as ergonomic as possible with soft contoured inner faces, and a good size nozzle. I found them to fit fairly well in my small ears, and they worked best with the supplied Comply tips for me. The cable fits over your ears well and helps with the overall fit of the Euclid.

The comfort is ok for me personally, I found after longer listening sessions I had some mild discomfort where they sit in your ear, but I do have relatively small ears and narrow canals. The supplied Comply tips worked well for me, and definitely help when using them for longer periods of time.

Compatibility

With relatively high sensitivity (105 dB/1mW) and low impedance (12 Ohms) they should be relatively easy to drive in theory. And whilst you do get listening volumes from portable sources, they do sound better when fed a bit more power, as is the case with most planar magnetic models (desktop amps, or higher end portable players are almost a necessity in my opinion).

Just a note on eartips and burn-in with the Euclid – I found that with silicone tips and listening to them right out of the box they sounded quite harsh with a shouty midrange and quite unnatural tonality. After 2 days of burn-in and fitting the Comply tips, the sound is completely different and they are far more enjoyable to listen to. These are quite picky so make sure to try all the different tips and try them out of a few different sources if possible.

Sound

Bass: The bass on the Euclid is impactful and hard hitting when needed, and being a planar they have quite a linear response all the way down to the sub-bass region. This means you won’t miss a beat with these, yet they are also nimble and have snappy transients to keep up with complex mixes. They have a relatively full low end, yet it doesn’t add any real warmth to the midrange, in fact the midrange could use a little more body in my opinion. The low end manages to stay faithful to the recording for the most part, only coming out when called for, but never lost in the mix.

Midrange: The midrange is a bit tricky on the Euclid, there are a few peaks and dips but for the most part they are well presented. There is a little bit of a lack of body at times, and there is a lift in the upper midrange which means they don’t always sound the most natural in terms of tonality. There is tons of detail to take in from the Euclid, and they show impressive transparency. This level of transparency, mixed with the impressive transient response means the mix is clearly separated and it’s easy to distinguish the different layers.

Treble: The treble is well presented, there is a bit of a lower treble lift which brings out some energy and sparkle but it’s the overall extension where they fall short a little. When compared to something that’s airy and extended like the Andromeda, the Euclid roll off a little too early and don’t sound quite as refined up top. But there’s still lots to enjoy here, they have a sense of energy that is quite addictive whilst perhaps not the most “studio accurate”.

Genres and Soundstaging

The Euclid lend their hand to most genres, but they are a bit hot sometimes when it comes to poorly mastered tracks. The soundstaging isn’t huge, but there is a nice sense of space and air to the Euclid that make them more open sounding than most sealed IEM’s.

The post Audeze Euclid Planar Magnetic In-Ear Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Fit and Comfort

First off the Penrose fit securely on your head, albeit with slightly high clamping force. Luckily you can leave the Penrose stretched out over some books to help loosen the clamp if you find it too much. The earpads are big enough for most ears, and the headband is well padded.

Comfort overall is good with no issues after a couple of hours, due to their closed back design I would still recommend taking a break every couple of hours to let your ears breathe. But overall the Penrose are a very comfortable headset.

Features

There are 2 versions of the Penrose, the Penrose and Penrose X. Both versions work fine with PC, but for console use the Penrose is suitable for the PlayStation 4 and 5, whereas the Penrose X has official Microsoft Certification for use with the xBox One and Series X.

They can be use in wired mode with an aux cable, via Bluetooth or via 2.4GHz wireless in conjunction with the included USB dongle. 2.4GHz will likely be the most used configuration, and you can expect around 14hrs of battery life from the headset. There is a high quality microphone that is detachable, there is a scroll wheel for the microphone volume and on the Penrose X if you press and scroll you can change the game/chat mix. The game/chat mix is currently only functional on the xBox – but future firmware updates should hopefully bring this feature to PC and PlayStation versions.

The firmware can be updated quite easily, but at the moment only via a Windows PC. There is a mute switch on the left earcup, along with a volume wheel and source select button. There is an Audeze HQ app for Windows and Android, with MacOS and iOS versions in the works. In the app you can set various EQ presets and in the future thegame/chat mix should be functional too. You can even have the Penrose connected to the source via 2.4GHz whilst also connected to your phone via bluetooth and change settings that way which is handy. In theory you can also use them as a bluetooth headset whilst connected via 2.4GHz, but bluetooth bandwidth is more restricted and the microphone quality will suffer so you’re better off using the in-game chat or background app chat instead of bluetooth.

Sound

Once set up the Penrose really are an impressive headset – first off, the microphone, whilst not crystal clear (bandwidth issues) does a good job of picking up your voice and your teammates will be able to hear you without issue. Next up is the immersion, on the latest generation of consoles there is some excellent audio processing that give you “surround” like sound from regular 2ch headphones like the Penrose. The same can be said for certain PC games, going in to the audio settings and selecting the correct output really does wonders. This bring us to the hardware side of things where those planar drivers come in to play, giving you excellent bass depth and impact without taking away the clarity overall.

Depending on the game you will get subtle rumbles to full blown explosions, all delivered with excellent control and clarity whilst also packing a punch. These drivers can push some air without ever sounding muddy or overwhelming. In-game dialog comes across clean and clear, speech is well rendered and this greatly helps if you use them as a headset, hearing your teammates is vital. The treble is precise and clear without being emphasised or piercing, these are designed for long sessions and thus have an utterly fatigue free sound.

The closed back nature of the Penrose means they block out a fair amount of outside noise, allowing you to immerse yourself, whatever is happening around you. The in-game effects are incredible though and the Penrose really do a stellar job at pinpointing spatial sounds, from footsteps to gunshots you know exactly where you stand in the game. This could prove to be a handy avantage if used in a VR system, but sadly I don’t have the equipment to test this. For long PC gaming sessions the Penrose have proved themselves a worthy companion, helping me pinpoint enemies with ease.

The Penrose do music playback well too, having quite a well balanced sound that is clean, detailed but with a slightly full bodied nature. They have good depth for a closed back headphone, and great instrument separation. The bass is full yet articulate and well controlled, the midrange manages to be well separated and clean whilst not being pushed forward. The treble is detailed and well extended but never harsh or fatiguing, there are not sharp peaks to create a false sense of air or detail retrieval.

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Fit and Comfort

Well all Audeze headphones have a certain styling, and the LCD-2 Classic are very much an Audeze headphone. However instead of wood you get nylon rings with metal grills, the look is smoother and sleeker than older models. The headband is steel with a suspension strap that is more comfortable than the original. Overall they don’t stand as much as the original LCD-2, but they won’t have any wood issues either, so that’s a bonus.

Build quality is excellent, they are still using sturdy 4-pin mini XLR connectors on the headphones and the cable is thick and has good strain relief. The earpads are huge and made of protein leather rather than the genuine leather of their higher end models. The headband is steel and feels strong, the suspension strap is protein leather like the pads, which makes these vegan friendly. Overall I can see the LCD-2 Classic lasting a long time, the pads are glued on however they are fairly easy to replace. The LCD-2 Classic no longer come with the big carry case the higher end models have, but this has helped keep the cost down.

Again here we have the typical heaviness of the Audeze models, due to their excellent build quality sadly they are quite heavy. The newer headband helps alleviate the pressure better than the old one, but if you are not used to the weight it can become tiring. the earpads are extremely comfortable and deep though, and once you get used to it they are good for fairly long listening sessions.

Compatibility

The LCD-2 Classic are quite efficient for a planar headphone (Efficiency: 101dB / 1mW) but it doesn’t mean they can’t handle extra power. Out of a low powered source they can sound a little constrained and flat, but hook them up to a powerful solid state amplifier and you will be greeted with the smooth yet powerful sound that these are capable of.

Sound

Audeze wanted to bring back the sound of the original LCD-2 in a more modern package, so they got rid of the fazors, redesigned the headphones a bit and here we are. Back to a time where people wanted to sit back and relax, and not worry about the resolving capabilities or micro-details. A time where few audiophile headphones had enough bass response for most people.

Bass: Audeze built their name on this part of the frequency response, a high-end headphone with warmth and body. The LCD-2 Classic are effortlessly smooth down low, with plenty of warmth and punch all backing up the rest of the sound. However the LCD-2 Classic don’t have the headshaking, skull thumping impact of the original. Make no doubt about it, the LCD-2 Classic have more than enough body and warmth to their sound, but they are more restrained and controlled and never become overbearing. If you are fed up of the more clinical and sometimes cold sound of some high-end headphones, the LCD-2 Classic are a sobering listen and a great addition to a more neutral tuned collection.

Midrange: The transition into the midrange is smooth, giving them enough body and warmth to sound pleasant without colouring the midrange too much. There is good tonality in the midrange, vocals cut through without every becoming shouty or peaky, husky male vocals are such a pleasure to listen to on these. Female vocals don’t quite have the required bite in the upper midrange, remaining smooth and sweet throughout and they are not the most aggressive sounding headphones when it comes to playing faster rock music. These are more suited to smoother genres, or electronic based music.

Treble: Much like the midrange the top end is tuned for smooth listening, and they do roll off a little early. These do not have the best extension or shimmer, however they are very easy to listen to and peak free. There isn’t too much to say about the treble on these, apart from if you are sensitive to sharp treble these are perfect.

Genres and Soundstaging

Being a bit of a laid back and smooth headphone these are easy to just kick back and listen to without any fatigue. They are not the most exciting headphones, but they handle most genres with ease. They don’t really stand out with any particular style of music, but that extra helping of bass does help certain EDM and hip-hop tracks.

The soundstage is great on these, with great width and height. Instruments are easy to pinpoint and you can easily pick apart the layers of the recording.

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Fit and Comfort

The LCD-1 are a small, portable sized headphone with a mainly plastic build to help keep the weight down. The earpads do go around your ears and are quite snug, the clamping force is moderate to retain a secure fit. There is plenty of adjustment in the headband sliders to fit most head shapes and sizes. They fit well and have an understated look compared to higher end Audeze models.

Comfort wise the moderate clamping force is noticeable during longer listening sessions, and the small-ish earpads are plush and soft but not the most spacious. Being open back they don’t heat up as quickly as a closed back model though. The headband has fairly good padding, but it is a little narrow and does create a small pressure point on the top of my head.

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Compatibility

The LCD-1 might look like a portable headphone, but it’s open back nature mean it is better used in environments where you won’t disturb others with sound leakage. Also they are a planar magnetic headphone, and in my opinion fare much better when a powerful source is used. Something like the JDS Labs Element II or Burson Audio Conductor range would be perfect with them. They don’t sound all too good out of a mobile phone, they definitely benefit from a bit more power to get the best out of them.

Sound Quality:

Bass: Whilst Audeze cut their teeth with the LCD-2 and its famous bass, the LCD-1 does not follow in its footsteps. Instead Audeze have created a tool for the sound engineer on the go, or for the travelling audiophile who wants a more reference sound when away from home. The bass hits fast and clean with minimal boost in terms of quantity, there is a tightness to the sound yet with body that is subtle yet pleasant. It is in the bass region where a good amplifier will make or break the LCD-1, don’t give them enough power and they do sound thin and a little anaemic, but when you have a good source behind them the articulation and slam is excellent whilst retaining clarity and control at all times. Full bodied, but not overblown, musicality and technicality mixing in perfect harmony down low.

Midrange: Here is where the LCD-1 really got me, such a clean cut and alluring midrange that has all the detail you could want at this price range. It is natural, with realistic tone and yet it is always crisp and kept clear of any bloom from the bass. In my opinion the midrange is pretty flawless on the LCD-1, it has excellent timing, tonality and overall just sounds accurate and right. No matter the genre, give them a good source and recording and you will hear all the nuances you could want but never in a harsh or annoying way. Much like the bass they manage to mix technical ability with a slight smooth musicality to great effect.

Treble: Here is possible where the smoothness slightly outweighs the technical abilities and they have a bit of that typical Audeze lushness. Not as extended or present as some of the competition, the treble region is where I personally would have preferred a little more energy. Those who are a little more treble sensitive though will welcome the natural and smooth treble, with enough presence to keep the LCD-1 sounding well balanced, but without any fatigue inducing peaks. Luckily the resolution up top is excellent with plenty of detail to be heard in the treble region.

Genres and Soundstaging

Due to their fairly balanced sound signature, the LCD-1 seem to handle most music you throw at them with relative ease. Their presentation is a little more on the engaging side of things so they fare well with more upbeat music than classical for example.

The LCD-1 soundstaging is good, there is plenty of width and good height too, but the layering also stands out. They are an agile headphone and expertly pick apart even the most complex of mixes.

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Aesthetics and Build Quality

It probably won’t take many people long to figure out where the LCD-4’s come from, with their big bold look and chrome grills, you guessed it the USA. They are not subtle, they are not low key, they have lovely dark wooden housings, shiny chrome grills and a carbon fibre headband. Big leather pads and a silver/black braided cable, the LCD-4 look stunning if not a little OTT.

Build quality is superb, as would be expected at this price range. They are solid and well put together, with good materials and not a blemish in sight. The included cable is also excellent with great strain relief and thickness. They also come with an excellent case to store them in when not in use, the LCD-4 sure feel like they are built to last.

Comfort

The LCD-4 are heavy, there is no doubting that. But the headband is well made to distribute the pressure well, and the pads are soft and well cushioned. Depending on your resilience to the weight of headphones, the LCD-4 are surprisingly comfortable for relatively long listening sessions. This all comes down to personal thresholds though.

Sound

Bass: Audeze are usually known for making headphones that have a warmer, more bass oriented sound signature, and that is true for a few of their models. The LCD-4 and LCD-X however follow a more reference style tuning, these handle the low end with effortless extension and punch without any bleeding or bloat. The low end is tight and controlled, and very accurate to the source. Every bit of the recording can be heard, the layering down low is expertly handled and they never step out of line. There is always a slight underlying warmth to the LCD-4, but they are not a dark sounding headphone.

Midrange: The LCD-4 don’t tend to accentuate any part of the midrange, allowing them to portray it in an open and natural way. Again the layering really stands out, allowing every instrument and vocal track sit in it’s own space whilst always sounding coherent. Guitars sound exceptionally good, you can hear each finger pick of an acoustic guitar, yet throw on something heavier and they have good crunch and energy. The same goes for vocals, every little detail is present and can be heard without much effort, this does mean they pair best with well recorded material as they do show up compression artefacts.

Treble: Snares snap, cymbals crash, violins sing, the top end is open and extended yet they have an incredibly smooth and fatigue free delivery. They are not exaggerated to sound more detailed or energetic, instead they offer up a refined and open sounding top end that is not distracting yet offers up plenty of insight into the recording. Tonality up top is spot on, they have great control and an excellent sense of space, helping open up the soundstage.

The soundstage is very holographic with good width, depth and height, it also has pinpoint precision.

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