Audeze’s new planar headphones promise studio-quality sound without a sky-high price

Audeze make some great premium planar magnetic headphones, but unfortunately they're also rather expensive – so the arrival of the LCD-S20 headphones at £499 / $499 is a very big deal. The same firm's LCD-X open-back planar headphones are more than twice that price, and some of Audeze's flagship models are seven or eight times more expensive than the LCD-S20.

These are the first planar magnetic headphones to come with the firm's SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator) technology, which first appeared in the flagship CRBN2 headphones in 2024. It enhances bass response and spatial imaging via finely tuned acoustic channels that deliver more linear diaphragm movement, which in turn means a more accurate low end.

That could mean open-back accuracy without sacrificing the isolation of closed-back headphones.

Audeze LCD-S20: features, pricing and availability

The drivers here are 90mm planar magnetic with Audeze's Fluxor magnets, Fazor waveguides and Uniforce voice coils. The earcups are acoustically dampened to improve isolation, the earpads are gel-filled, and the leather headband has adjustable suspension for listening comfort. The headphones come with a 2.5m cable and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter.

With 18-ohm impedance the LCD-S20s are easy to drive from a wide range of devices, and their frequency range is 10Hz - 40kHz. Maximum SPL is >120dB and sensitivity is 93dB/1mW.

We've reviewed many Audeze headphones over the years, from its "near perfect" premium gaming headsets to its "remarkable" in-ears and its planar magnetic gaming headphones. We've always found their sound quality and imaging very impressive, so I'd love to treat my ears to a pair of these.

The Audeze LCD-S20 are available to pre-order now for £499 / $499 / about AU$1,045. Deliveries will begin in May 2025.