Audeze LCD-5

The new pinnacle of Audeze planar-magnetic headphones

Meet the new planar magnetic flagship from the headphone masterminds at Audeze. On the surface, the LCD-5 headphones sport the familiar, oversized design of their previous-generation audiophile models. But Audeze examined every material and design choice from scratch, creating their most tonally accurate planar-magnetic headphones yet. And their lightest at this size — over 30% lighter than their predecessor, the LCD-4.

That's a win-win for personal audio aficionados: uncompromised Audeze sound in a set of headphones that's more pleasant to wear. The re-tooled planar drivers deliver the company's signature traits, like the immense soundstage, textured bass, striking dynamics, and precise impulse control. And thanks to breakthroughs in material science, the LCD-5s offer even better imaging, clarity, and detail — particularly in the highs. 

The Audeze LCD-5 headphones use an all-new carbon fiber and leather headband to comfortably distribute the weight.

Lightweight and well put-together 

I've long been a superfan of Audeze's over-ear LCD Series headphones for their performance. But as great as they sound, I'll admit I've cut listening sessions short with older models due to strain on my head and neck. Audeze tackled this problem head-on with the LCD-5 headphones.

A flexible carbon-fiber headband binds the extra-large magnesium earcups together, and a new suspension system helps better distribute the weight. The leather lining hugs the crown of your head, while the strong frame holds the headphones firmly in place. And new sculpted leather ear pads — thinner and more sloped than Audeze's traditional pads — conform to your head and properly position the drivers to your ears. 

Planar magnetic drivers — the basics

Before I get into what makes the Audeze LCD-5 headphones extra special, let me break down how planar magnetic drivers work. Audeze uses them to create their signature soundstage with a wide-open sense of depth and space. Unlike the dynamic drivers found in most headphones, planar magnetic drivers rely on an extremely thin diaphragm with a large surface area to generate sound.

A flexible circuit is etched across the entire surface of the diaphragm, which is suspended within a magnetic field. When the circuit receives an audio signal, it causes the diaphragm to move back and forth — moving air and creating sound.

Ultra-thin, smooth-moving diaphragm

The LCD-5 diaphragms are 90mm in diameter and 200 times thinner than a single strand of human hair and thinner than a red blood cell. That means they take less energy to move.

New voice-coil pattern for fluid movement and low distortion

Audeze also developed a new parallel pattern for the voice coil circuit. They use a slow, careful process to cover the entire diaphragm to keep the motion fluid and even. This helps greatly reduce distortion, even in super-high frequencies above the range of human hearing. That's important, since the slightest resonance in that range can be perceived as sharp or grating. But the LCD-5s can deliver detailed highs without sounding harsh. 

This cutaway view shows Audeze's patent-pending parallel voice-coil pattern.

Extra-strong magnet array

Audeze also figured out how to greatly increase efficiency by laying out their magnet array in an asymmetrical pattern. In other words: fewer magnets, yet stronger magnetic attraction. The diaphragm starts and stops incredibly quickly, resulting in true-to-the-recording sound across a wide frequency range.

In fact, they're so efficient that they can be driven by a portable high-res music player. But I would still recommend a separate headphone amp/DAC to really open up that massive soundstage and handle those lifelike dynamics.

Hand-built and tested in California

Audeze still hand-assembles their high-end headphones at their Southern California headquarters. That includes the earcups and headband, but also the drivers. We've seen them in action!

It's a laborious process that involves great attention to detail and ends with a series of measurements inside a sound-proof chamber. Audeze won't let a pair of LCD-5 headphones leave the building without a proper match between the left and right driver. They even keep measurement records for every individual LCD-5 that they ship.