Audeze is known for its premium audio hardware. It is a name associated with excellent, beautifully crafted soundstages, brilliant headphone design, and the delivery of an audio experience that keeps you coming back for more.

The Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones, then, have a lot to live up to versus the recent successes of the Audeze Mobius and Audeze Penrose gaming headset. So, how do the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones stack up against the competition and, indeed, the Audeze name itself?

Read on for our hands-on review of the Audeze LCD-1 headphones.

Audeze LCD-1: What's In the Box?

Before we get into the box, a note about the box itself. While unpacking and unwrapping the LCD-1 box itself, you get a real sense of class, the Audeze box carrying a nice weight and almost urging you to get in and find out what's inside.

When you get there, you'll find:

• Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones
• Carry case
• 5mm jack to dual 3.5mm jack cable
• 25mm jack adapter
• Fluffy headphone divider
• Official Audeze LCD-1 Certificate of Authenticity

There are probably two things on there that have caught your eye.

Yes, the Audeze LCD-1 headphones do come with a fluffy headphone divider. It's to stop the earpads rubbing when you fold them down and put them in the carry case. It seems a little excessive, but it's a nice touch regardless.

The second thing is the Audeze Certificate of Authenticity. Before shipping to you, the LCD-1 headphones are rigorously tested to make sure they hit Audeze's very high audio standards. Furthermore, the testing and authentication process helps to "burn-in" the headphones before they're sent to you.

Audeze LCD-1 Specifications

You know what's in the box. Now, what's powering the audio side of things?

• Style: Over-ear, open-back
• Color: Black
• Drivers: 90mm Planar Magnetic
  • Magnetic structure: Fluxor magnet array
  • Magnet type: Neodymium N50
  • Frequency response: 10-50,000Hz
  • Diaphragm: Ultra-thin Uniforce
• Connectivity: Wired
  • Connectors:5mm, 6.35mm (1/4-inch)
• Weight: 250g (8.82oz)

The headline specs to take from here are the driver size, at 90mm, and the frequency response, 10-50,000Hz. The frequency response is extensive and should allow the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones to perform with exceptional audio accuracy.

Audeze LCD-1 Design

The Audeze LCD-1 are foldable wired headphones. When you first open the secure carry case and reveal the LCD-1 headphones, you might be surprised at their slight and relatively lightweight frame.

Planar magnetic headphones usually weigh more than the alternatives, containing larger, heavier magnets to ensure the headphone diaphragm moves uniformly. The added weight is often the trade-off between the oft sensational sound delivered by planar magnetic headphones versus a more traditional dynamic driver setup.

Weighing 250g, the Audeze LCD-1 weighs less than some of their direct competitors, sometimes by more than 100g. Of course, you want to know how that translates to actual comfort, and I'm happy to report that the LCD-1 headphones are perfect for prolonged listening sessions.

Helping with the comfort levels is the adjustable headband with memory foam cushioning, along with the memory foam earpads covered with genuine lambskin leather.

The Audeze LCD-1 uses an over-ear, open-back design. Open-back headphones can leak audio to the surrounding area, but LCD-1 doesn't suffer from this issue. On the other hand, open-back headphones can deliver a less congested, better-rounded sound that doesn't suffer from the feeling of isolation associated with closed-back headphones—but more on the Audeze LCD-1 soundstage in a moment.

The 90mm drivers and their ultra-thin Uniforce diaphragms further contribute to the reduction in weight. Audeze is very proud of its manufacturing process, too. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all process, each driver goes through a unique process that matches the voice-coil to the magnetic fields in each LCD-1 headset. The precision of manufacturing allows the diaphragm to move uniformly, in turn delivering a better overall sound.

Audeze uses 'a genetic algorithm-based heuristic optimization technique together with magnetic simulations to optimize trace widths to achieve Uniforce

As the LCD-1 headphones fold down into a carry case, you can remove the wires from the headphones. You can insert the headphone cables in either earcup without worrying about whether you got the right one as the LCD-1 cable detects the left and right signal automatically, which is actually pretty cool.

A Note on Handling Planar Magnetic Headphones

Planar magnetic headphones are, in general, more susceptible to having air trapped behind the ultra-thin diaphragm. Audeze recommends that you take care when putting your planar magnetic headphones on, giving them a moment to adjust to the difference in air pressure after creating a seal around your ears

As per Audeze customer support:

We recommend exercising certain cautions when handling planar magnetic headphones: trapped air can create high pressure and sudden pressure changes could damage the diaphragms, and this is not covered by warranty. When you put the headphones on or take them off, it's not a good idea to press them hard and fast against the head, so we recommend slow and steady movement to allow the air pressure to stabilize.

How Do the Audeze LCD-1 Sound?

On to the main feature: how do the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones sound?

Planar magnetic headphones come with a reputation for the sublime, and the Audeze LCD-1 headphones certainly fit the bill. The LCD-1 comes with a well-crafted soundstage that should suit regular consumers and audio engineers alike, meaning you can plug them in and enjoy the standard sound. Still, the headphones respond extremely well to additional EQ settings, too.

One thing to note about the LCD-1 is how alive everything sounds when you slip them on. I tested the LCD-1 headphones using a direct connection to my PC, then through a small desktop DAC, and with my Galaxy S8 smartphone. The clarity and crispness across all three options are exceptional. You won't find any track that the LCD-1 doesn't deliver with precision, bringing your favorite artists and albums to life once more.

In that, you actively want to find more music of different genres to test the LCD-1 headphones with. I'm a huge electronic music fan, and the LCD-1's soundstage brings every thumping bassline to the fore, picking out every chirping, twisting beat, or pushing the sound of a euphoric Balearic wave crashing over you.

Classical music sounds exceptional, all tight notes and quick transitions, while the LCD-1 headphones handle the fast, high-pitched transitions of ska and jazz with ease. You feel like every note is being played specifically for you, with precision, and it makes every listening experience an exciting and refreshing examination of music, old and new.

In short, it's not often that you put on a pair of headphones like these. The Audeze LCD-1 may be one of the best audio experiences you could hope for without spending thousands, allowing you to experience what is often referred to as "audiophile-grade" listening without blowing your monthly budget several times over.

Is the Audeze LCD-1 Good for Gaming?

While the LCD-1 headphones are definitely designed for music lovers, we live in an age where gaming audio is just as important. Audeze doesn't pitch the LCD-1 headphones for gaming, which is understandable as they're very much an exceptional audio tool, suitable for sound engineers, and so on.

With that said, you won't regret taking the LCD-1 into any game environment. The headphones' exceptionally crafted soundstage doesn't just stop when you fire up your favorite game, that's for sure.

Jumping into Doom 2016, and the frantic gameplay strikes you, but also Mick Gordon's exquisitely mixed soundtrack that brings the entire game together into the visceral experience we know and love. Although Gordon didn't feature on Doom Eternal (for one reason or another), it sounds just as good, making it clear why Eternal won many audio design awards in 2020.

Racing games were a particular treat, too. Although you won't notice much subtly in sound design in most racing games, having a set of headphones that bring more of the world to the fore is brilliant, especially in titles like Dirt 2.0, where sound immersion can heighten your senses, pushing your driving abilities to another level.

The Audeze LCD-1 Are Outstanding, and You Should Buy Them

The LCD-1 headphones come from Audeze's LCD Reference headphone range. They're built for audio engineers and sound professionals to deliver the best, most accurate representation of music—any genre, any style.

Which they do, many times over. The Audeze LCD-1 is easily one of the best headphones you can put your hands and ears on if you want to experience truly premium audio at a very reasonable price.

However, some may find that very same experience unsettling in terms of the soundstage. When you buy headphones built for working out at the gym or to make games sound amazing, the manufacturer often builds for a certain audio profile. Those familiar profiles, usually slightly bass-heavy or with some extra mid/top, deliver extra punch for the user and bring the experience home.

The Audeze LCD-1 is very much in the area of a relatively flat EQ, designed to allow mixing in any direction. The consequence is a potentially confusing experience for consumers not accustomed to this, expecting an in-built bass boost or otherwise. That doesn't damage the LCD-1 listening experience. Far from it, it gives you far greater control over the music you love.

On that, let's talk price. The Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones retail for $400. Now, you might look at that price and balk. There's no denying it's a pretty penny and more than most would consider spending on a set of headphones.

Given the substantial audio range, lightweight and comfortable design, and vast soundstage, the Audeze LCD-1 wired headphones are nailed on for me.