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Audeze is most known for ludicrously expensive, exorbitantly luxurious planar magnetic headphones used the world over by audio engineers and other experienced professionals.
In recent years, though, Audeze has dipped below the $1,000 threshold and begun exploring more mainstream spaces. First, it began with gaming headsets, of all things, with the ultra-premium Audeze LCD-GX gaming headset my colleague reviewed, and the downright normal Audeze Maxwell wireless gaming headset I reviewed. Now we have the Audeze MM-100, which aims to take the best of Audeze’s audio expertise and condense it down into a wired, open-back pair of high-end headphones that the “regular person” can afford.
The Audeze MM-100 isn’t out to replace your trust Sony or Bose headphones, but those interested in exploring true high-end, wired audio solutions will be hard-pressed to find a better option at or below this price point, even with the obvious cuts Audeze made to reach it.
While Windows Central isn’t reviewing $1,000+ high-end headphones, I have reviewed countless gaming headsets and have loved exploring the audiophile world for years. I’m the exact person this product is aimed at — someone looking for an accessible entry way into the best musical listening experiences.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Audeze. Audeze had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Audeze MM-100 review: Pricing and specifications
- The Audeze MM-100 retails for $399, much lower than competing options.
- That includes Audeze’s best-selling LCD-X, which goes for $1,199.
Audeze MM-100
• Price: $399 at Amazon | Audeze
• Connectivity: Detachable, 2.5m (8.2ft) braided 3.5mm TRS to 1/4in TRS cable, 1/4in to 3.5mm adapter included
• Drivers: 90mm Planar Magnetic drivers, Neodymium N50 magnets w/ Fluxor array, Fazor phase management, Ultra-Thin Uniforce diaphragm
• Audio specs: Over-ear & open-back design, 20-25,000Hz frequency response, 18 Ohms impedance, >120dB max Sound Pressure Level (SPL)
• Extra features: Soft storage bag included, Certificate of Authenticity included, left or right side connectivity
• Weight: 475g (1.05lbs)
There’s no shortage of amazing headphones out there regardless of your needs, and that includes audiophiles, audio engineers, musicians and music products, and anyone else looking to invest in a pricey bit of kit. There are many different kinds of headphones, too, from dirt cheap, closed-back dynamic headphones to ultra-luxurious electrostatic headphones that run for many thousands of dollars. The Audeze MM-100 headphones use planar magnetic drivers, but bring them down to a much more approachable price point.
You can pick up the Audeze MM-100 for $399 at Amazon, which is significantly cheaper than almost anything else in Audeze’s professional or enthusiast lineups. That’s less than a fourth of the cost of the Audeze MM-500, the higher-end version of these headphones that — like the naming suggests — was also designed and tuned in collaboration with Grammy winning producer Manny Marroquin.
Unlike many high-end headphones, the Audeze MM-100 doesn’t really require any specialist equipment to enjoy (although it can certainly take advantage). Everything you need is in the box, which includes the Audeze MM-100 wired headphones, a 2.5m (8.2ft) braided, detachable 3.5mm TRS to 1/4in TRS cable, a 1/4in to 3.5mm adapter, a Certificate of Authenticity, and a soft travel bag. These headphones are covered by Audeze’s standard 1-year warranty.
Audeze MM-100 review: The good
- These headphones are undeniably premium, with excellent build quality.
- Sound quality is phenomenal, with a neutral, wide, and detailed profile.
- Low impedance provides device flexibility, making the MM-100 versatile.
The first thing you’ll notice when picking up the Audeze MM-100 is that it’s big. That’s a common characteristic with planar magnetic headphones, which utilize an array of carefully attuned, precisely cut magnets to suspend and manipulate a flat film to produce sound. The technology fundamentally takes up more vertical space than the compact simplicity of dynamic drivers, but in exchange you get a much more responsive and precise audio, with a wider soundstage to boot.
The MM-100 embraces that size, though, cladding those expertly crafted planar magnetic drivers in a magnesium chassis and capping it all off with a steel headband and leather suspension strap. These headphones feel like a premium product all the way through, with impeccable build quality and a great use of luxury materials. That extends to the braided cable, too, which is long enough to accommodate almost any setup, feels durable enough to withstand more than a few accidents, and snugly clicks into the MM-100 headphones and your device with confidence.
When you put the Audeze MM-100 headphones on your head, you’ll inevitably feel that 475g weight. The suspension headband aims to spread that weight across the top of your head, the clamping pressure is firm without being uncomfortable, and the ear cups provide a generous amount of space inside the plush, supportive pads. It’s comfortable enough, but there’s certainly room for improvement, as I’ll go into in the next section.
Before that, let’s discuss usability. One of the biggest barriers to entry in the audiophile or high-end audio world is the gear needed to properly take advantage of the best headphones. It can be daunting to attempt to step into this world and discover the apparent need for expensive amplifiers or digital-to-audio converters (DACs), and those costs can quickly pile onto already expensive headphones. The Audeze MM-100 aim to be more accessible to reflect its price tag, and it succeeds.
These headphones are incredibly efficient, with a 16 Ohms impedance. To put it shortly, impedance is how much resistance there is when running an electrical current through something; the higher the impedance, the stronger the source signal you need to push through. Your standard headphone jack normally caps out at 32 Ohms before you lose a lot of volume and quality, and some headphones go into the hundreds. A higher impedance doesn’t always mean better sound, though, and the Audeze MM-100’s efficient design means it’ll work with almost anything with a headphone jack.
To be frank, the Audeze MM-100 is still designed to take full advantage of accompanying audio gear, so you’ll notice a difference if you do invest in an amplifier or higher quality music player, but you don’t need that just to get started. The Audeze MM-100 offers an accessible entry point to high-end audio, with plenty of room to grow as your setup does.
Finally, sonic bliss. I paired the Audeze MM-100 with an unlocked LG V60 ThinQ, which boasts a SABRE DAC ES9219 that powers LG’s Quad DAC feature. LG flagships were famous for being surprisingly capable hi-fi audio players because of their headphone jacks, and being able to pick up an unopened V60 for $200 or less makes it a great value pairing with the Audeze MM-100. For music, I used TIDAL, which offers lossless audio files across its entire library, as compared to the heavily compressed MP3 files on services like Spotify.
I’ve listened to hours of music on the MM-100 over the span of weeks, and it’s been a wonderful experience. Of course, the Audeze MM-100 is meant for studio monitoring, meaning you won’t find the fun, bombastic sound curve of some enthusiast headphones. Instead, the MM-100 sounds neutral and flat by default, focusing on accuracy, detail, and space over heavy bass. I prefer this approach to sound, because it gives you more flexibility to customize it with equalizers if you desire.
The Audeze MM-100 allows you to hear your music in its most natural form; it’ll highlight the flaws in low quality MP3 audio files, but it’ll transform your listening experience when you feed it lossless audio. A wide soundstage allows you to pinpoint every instrument and every layer, and excellent clarity means that even the busiest tracks don’t become muddy or distorted. You’ll be able to hear greater intricacies in guitar riffs, deep bass lines, and all the hidden magic buried in the mixing of the best songs.
Percussion is clean and defined with decent register, and treble is smooth and never jarring. It’s mids and vocals where the MM-100 truly shines, though, and where its prowess in clear, responsive, precise audio is most on display. The neutral sound profile means some may prefer other headphones with specific genres of music, but the Audeze MM-100 is versatile, perfect for someone who is constantly switching between genres, or even songs that blend multiple genres.
Audeze MM-100 review: The bad
- This is a heavy, open-backed design, and that comes with compromises.
- Audeze also cut some corners in some areas, especially the accessories.
I already mentioned that the MM-100 is decently comfy, but ergonomics is one area where Audeze obviously aimed to cut some costs; the suspension headband provides only three levels of adjustment on either side, and doing so requires a lot of manual work. I criticized the Audeze Maxwell for this approach, and I’ll criticize the MM-100, too. Finding the perfect fit can go a long way toward alleviating any comfort concerns, but these headphones don’t provide you with a ton of leeway to find that fit.
Besides that, this is fundamentally a wired, open-backed, over-ear pair of headphones. Wired means you’ll need a device with a (preferably high-end) 1/4in or 3.5mm TRS audio jack. Open backed means the MM-100 obtains a wider, more spacious soundstage by allowing air to pass through the headset — it’s an approach taken by most high-end audio gear, and it means better acoustics for you, but it also means the outside world will be able to hear what you’re listening to, and you’ll largely be able to hear the outside world.
So, it’s heavy, and there’s no fancy Bluetooth connectivity or active noise cancelation (or any “smart features, really), and you won’t really want to use them in public. That’s all par for the course for audiophile gear, which prioritizes sonic excellence over everything else. I just wish Audeze hadn’t also cut corners with the accessories. You get one soft travel bag in the box, and it’s far too big, offers little in the way of protection, and doesn’t provide any way to store your cables or other accessories apart from throwing everything in together. You also only get one cable in the box, and that cable doesn’t boast media controls.
Audeze MM-100 review: Final thoughts
You should buy this if …
✅You don’t have or are not ready to invest in an expensive audio setup
The greatest advantage for the Audeze MM-100 is its price. It’s an excellent entryway into the world of high-end, studio-grade planar magnetic headphones, giving you greater precision, responsiveness, and clarity than your average dynamic headphones could hope to deliver… But at a third of the cost of many other planar magnetic headphones.
✅You want to begin exploring the world of high-end audio
In a similar vein, the Audeze MM-100 also boasts excellent compatibility. Ultra efficient drivers mean you can use these headphones with basically any device equipped with a headphone jack — but the better your audio source, the better the MM-100 will sound. It’s a great place to start as you begin exploring high-end audio and consider investing in additional equipment.
You should not buy this if …
❌You’re not ready to accept the compromises of this design
What’s true of many high-end headphones is true of the Audeze MM-100 — it’s heavy, it’s wired only, and it’s open-backed, so the world will hear your music and you will hear the world. Those in pursuit of unparalleled listening experiences will need to accept the limitations of this design, but most people will honestly still do just fine with a really nice pair of wireless headphones.
Audio gear is particularly beholden to the law of diminishing returns, and it wouldn’t be outlandish to label the Audeze MM-100 as the turning point. It performs incredibly well for the price, and the more you spend, the less noticeable the gains will be. Yes, Audeze’s MM-500 is absolutely the better set of headphones, with an even more dynamic soundstage, greater comfort and adjustability, and stronger low-end and hig-end performance… It also costs over four times as much. Is it four times better? No, not really.
For $400, the Audeze MM-100 will grant you access to the world of professional and enthusiast audio, but it will work with all of your devices and grow with you as you expand your hi-fi music catalog and evolve your audiophile setup. Audeze didn’t nail everything and many people would still be perfectly happy with a more traditional , significantly cheaper pair of studio headphones from companies like Audio-Technica and Beyerdynamic, but those wanting to step into the world of high-end, open-backed planar magnetic headphones can do so without breaking the bank thanks to the MM-100.
The Audeze MM-100 made listening to Sleep Token even better, and I didn’t know that was possible. You can pick up the Audeze MM-100 for $399 at Amazon, meaning you’re only a few days away from having your own high-end, handcrafted headphones.
I love my trusty wireless active noise-canceling headphones, but listening to my favorite music on the Audeze MM-100 is an entirely different experience. This is absolutely still a niche category for those who want the very best in audio, but the MM-100 lets you take that leap without dropping over $1,000. It’s a great pair of headphones, and the MM-100 is built to last for years of listening.
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