Audeze
An American planar magnetic headphone specialist founded in 2008. Acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2023, it became part of PlayStation's technological ecosystem. The LCD series achieves both low distortion and high resolution through excellent planar magnetic driver technology. Highly regarded especially for mixing and mastering applications, it is widely adopted in music production settings. While prices are high, the sound quality has a unique appeal that cannot be obtained with other methods.
Overview
Founded in California in 2008, Audeze has grown rapidly as a specialist manufacturer of planar magnetic headphones. Founder Sankar Thiagasamudram dedicated his passion to researching and developing planar magnetic technology to overcome the limitations of conventional dynamic drivers, producing numerous innovative products starting with the LCD-2.
The company’s distinguishing feature is that it designs and manufactures planar magnetic drivers in-house. Through proprietary technologies like “Fazor” and “Fluxor” magnetic circuit design, they have significantly improved the challenges that conventional planar magnetic headphones faced (weight, poor efficiency). They now enjoy support from a wide range of users, from music production professionals to audiophiles.
In August 2023, Audeze was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). This made the company a member of the PlayStation ecosystem, and with SIE’s strong backing, further leaps in the gaming audio field are expected. Even after the acquisition, Audeze continues to operate independently and is said to continue developing products for multiple platforms.
Scientific Validity
\[\Large \text{0.8}\]The scientific superiority of planar magnetic drivers is clearly demonstrated in measurement data. The LCD-X’s (USD 1,199) THD+N performance of 0.1% or less is clearly superior compared to dynamic driver products in the same price range (typically 0.3-0.5%). Additionally, the low impedance (20-50Ω) and high sensitivity characteristic of planar magnetic designs, allowing sufficient volume even with portable devices, has also been proven through measurements. However, the company’s claims about “three-dimensional sound” have strong subjective elements, with limited significant differences in ABX testing.
Technology Level
\[\Large \text{0.9}\]Their in-house development and manufacturing capabilities for planar magnetic drivers are among the industry’s best. The “Fazor” technology in particular is a proprietary structure that minimizes acoustic wave interference in front of the driver, significantly improving the high-frequency unnaturalness that conventional planar magnetic designs suffered from. The “Fluxor” magnetic circuit design achieves 30% weight reduction and efficiency improvement compared to conventional designs. The LCD-5 (USD 3,450) achieves astonishing performance of THD+N 0.001% or less through drivers vapor-deposited with nanometer-level precision.
Cost-Performance
\[\Large \text{0.5}\]HiFiMAN Ananda Nano (USD 599) has equivalent THD+N performance of 0.1% or less to the LCD-X (USD 1,199), so CP = USD 599 ÷ USD 1,199 = 0.50. Dan Clark Audio Expanse (USD 3,999) has equivalent THD+N performance of 0.03% or less to the LCD-4 (USD 3,999), so CP = USD 3,999 ÷ USD 3,999 = 1.0. However, the company’s higher-end models achieve extremely low distortion performance that is difficult for other companies to reproduce, and in this domain, cost-performance relatively improves.
Reliability & Support
\[\Large \text{0.9}\]Their adoption record in professional music production settings speaks to their reliability. Particularly among recording studios and mastering engineers, the LCD-X and LCD-4 are widely used as reference equipment. The warranty period is 3 years, which is above industry standard, and repair services are comprehensive. However, due to the characteristics of planar magnetic drivers, care must be taken with physical impacts like drops, requiring more careful handling than other methods.
Rationality of Design Philosophy
\[\Large \text{0.9}\]The company’s design philosophy is extremely rational. To maximize the physical advantages of planar magnetic drivers (low distortion, high resolution, excellent transient characteristics), everything from enclosure design to material selection is based on acoustic engineering principles. The “Fazor” technology in particular is the result of simulating acoustic wave interference patterns with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and optimizing them, completely eliminating unscientific elements. Issues with weight and wearing comfort are also being steadily improved through technical refinements.
Advice
Audeze products are choices for advanced users who don’t want to compromise on sound quality. They are particularly highly recommended for those involved in music production or those who feel unsatisfied with existing dynamic driver products.
- For Music Producers & Engineers: The LCD-X and LCD-4 deliver unmatched performance for mixing and mastering applications. The track record of many professionals using them is also reassuring.
- For Audiophiles: We recommend starting with the LCD-2 Classic to experience the sound quality characteristics of planar magnetic technology. You’ll be attracted to the resolution and soundstage expression that differs from conventional headphones.
- For Beginners: Since many products are in high price ranges, we recommend gaining some experience with other manufacturers’ products before considering these.
In the specialized technology field of planar magnetic headphones, Audeze undoubtedly continues to provide world-class products. The value that matches their price certainly exists.
(2025.07.05)