What does a $1,700 pair of headphones sound like? Hands-on with the Audeze MM-520 planar magnetic headphones

[Redaktion]

I've tested quite a few headphones over the years, but I wanted to find out what a truly expensive pair feels and sounds like in comparison. Can you actually hear the difference without being a hardcore audiophile? I put the new Audeze MM-520, priced at $1,700, to the test.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/What-does-a-1-700-pair-of-headphones-sound-like-Hands-on-with-the-Audeze-MM-520-planar-magnetic-headphones.1334193.0.html

[Tim Lesnick]

Are the column headings in the table reversed?

[You are welcome]

On audiosciencereview you can read that a price of a headphone has absolutely nothing to-do with how good or bad it will sound. There you will find many cheaper alternatives reviewed. You may want to wait for a review there.

At the same time, the MM-520's low 18-ohm impedance means they're theoretically easy to drive, although there's more to that below.

I don't think this is how it works with planar, at least not as far as know from reading AudioScienceReview reviews.

If, in the meantime [until the ASR review], you want a 10 bucks cheap, but not bad with PEQ, alternative, check out: audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/9-headphone-review-sony-mdr-zx110.19484/

relatively heavy

555g is indeed heavy.

Exceptionally neutral frequency response curve, according to Audeze

This is not necessarily what the average ear wants. Instead they may want the Harman target curve. But I'm sure a PEQ can be applied (the price of a headphone does not mean that it doesn't need to be PEQ'ed, unless, of course, if the headphone is designed to fit a certain target curve; also, not every headphone can be corrected with PEQ). How such a PEQ would look like? Again, wait for a review on audiosciencereview.

[audiofile]

very curious how this compares to the FiiO offerings which are closer in price to the DT770 despite being planar magnetic.

[Davide]

Are the column headings in the table reversed?

Must be so, the Audeze is consistently below the other in the current table...