Audeze Launches $499 Closed Back
Planar magnetic headphone specialist Audeze has unveiled the LCD-S20, a new closed-back headphone priced at $499. It looks very similar to the MM-100, but has solid fabric-covered ear cups instead of an open grilles. Designed with studio use in mind, it also appeals to anyone looking for a neutral and highly accurate listening experience.
The LCD-S20 is definitely on the heavier side, weighing 550g—75g more than the MM-100. However, Audeze has never been known for making lightweight headphones, and comfort goes far beyond just weight.
There aren’t many closed-back options in Audeze’s lineup: the Maxwell gaming headset, the LCD-2 Closed Back, and the LCD-XC. Now, with the addition of the LCD-S20, it’s great to see the lineup expand.
While the name suggests it’s part of the LCD series, the design and specifications of the LCD-S20 are strikingly similar to the MM-100, which comes in at $399—$100 less than the LCD-S20.
The reason Audeze avoided using the MM-series name is that the MM-100 and MM-500 are specifically voiced by professional engineer Manny Marroquin, which likely isn’t the case with the new closed-back LCD-S20.
Still, the driver impedance and transducer size are identical to the MM-100, not any of the other LCD series headphones: Both the LCD-S20 and MM-100 feature 90mm transducers with an 18-ohm impedance, and both use Audeze’s Ultra-Thin Uniforce diaphragm, Fluxor magnet array, Neodymium N50 magnets, and Fazor phase management.
The LCD-S20 features Audeze’s new SLAM Acoustic Management technology, not employed in the MM-100. SLAM helps maintain clean sound at higher volumes—a common challenge for closed-back headphones, which often struggle with internal cup resonances. Basically, it’s a bass port with a long S-shaped channel, first introduced with the electrostatic open back flagship, CRBN2. It resembles in many ways what’s called a “transmission line” in speaker design.
A very good thing about it is that it protects the driver from tearing if the user applies too much pressure on the cups.
Read more here: SLAM explained.
Another new addition is the detachable magnetic pads that deviate from the MM-100 and basically all other Audeze headphones, which have glued on pads. It is nice to see that Audeze works on making pad swapping easier but I certainly wish they had chosen a less proprietary solution and made it possible to use more standard pads instead. The pads use a layer of gel to keep the skin cool, such pads are often referred to as “cooling gel pads”.
The detachable cable is 2.5m long and can be connected to either side of the headphone at your convenience, using a standard 3.5mm connector. This is very practical unless you want to use it in balanced operation. If it’s like the MM100, you’ll need a special 4 pole, 3.5mm cable. There are third party cable makers that offer such cables. Here’s the scheme of the pins and a link to Audeze support’s elaboration on the matter for the MM-100.
More about MM-100 cable wiring for balanced operation:
Audeze support article on cable wiring
Personally I find balanced headphone audio to be an unnecessary hype, but many amplifiers are designed to operate at their best and most powerful in balanced mode, so you might want to avoid spending your money on any of those unless you get an aftermarket cable as described above.
More: audeze.com/products/lcd-s20
AUDEZE’S LCD-S20 SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Over-ear closed-back
- Drivers: Planar magnetic
- Transducer size 90 mm
- Impedance 18 ohms
- Sensitivity 93 dB/1mW (@ Drum Reference Point)
- Maximum SPL >120dB
- Frequency response 10Hz – 40kHz
- THD <0.1% @ 100dB SPL, 1kHz
- Maximum power handling 5W RMS
- Minimum power requirement >100mW
- Recommended power level >250mW
- Magnetic structure Fluxor™ magnet array
- Phase management Fazor™
- Magnet type Neodymium N50
- Diaphragm type Ultra-Thin Uniforce™
- Weight 550g
For comparison:
AUDEZE MM-100 SPECIFICATIONS
- Over-ear, open-back
- Drivers: Planar Magnetic
- Transducer size 90
- Impedance 18 ohms
- Sensitivity 98 dB/1mW (at Drum Reference Point)
- Maximum SPL >120dB
- Frequency response 20Hz – 25kHz
- THD <0.1% @ 100 dB SPL, 1kHz
- Max power handling 5W RMS
- Min recommended power >100mW
- Recommended power level >250mW
- Magnetic structure Fluxor™ magnet array
- Phase management Fazor™
- Magnet type Neodymium N50
- Diaphragm type Ultra-Thin Uniforce™
- Weight 475g
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