Yeah if you have a smaller to average sized head I think you can feel pretty confident about the MM-500. And yeah you might not even feel the need to fix the hotness at 3khz - but if you do it’s a very simple EQ.
Edit: Like, even for me, I find myself being able to enjoy it without EQ.
You may have already seen @Resolve ’s review of the MM-500 on the Headphones.com website but here’s a video comparison of the Audeze MM-500 vs the Audeze LCD-X 2021 that he dropped this morning.
Hey, friends just dropped my thoughts on the MM-500 vs the HEDDphone both for music listening and video/music editing work!
I will drop the videos I have created in the series so far here to but I am not sure if they will get removed, so if you are interested, you can check them out on Head-Fi, if you have any questions on my take, just let me know.
The Mod team has already discussed this with you privately but since you are saying this again after that discussion, this is a reminder for content creators.
I’ve had the MM-500 now for a few days…I purposely have avoided this thread and any videos out there just to get a blind impression.
I did sample them at CanJam Chicago this past year so it’s not like this was a complete blind buy. What’s interesting is I don’t remember the clamp being such a thing there. That is making me wonder 1 of 2 things…
Possible because these were units being sampled by multiple people, perhaps they were stretched out over time and not as clampy?
Did early versions not have as much clamp and that changed as they became released to the masses?
I really want to give these a fair shake because I parted ways with my Arya SE in order to grab these. I know, I know…before anyone says it, I enjoyed the Arya but I felt I was locking me into certain genres with the Arya. The MM-500 looked more versatile. All to be seen…err…heard!
Also I am trying to adjust to the Planar sound again after listening on DD’s for quite some time now. Thankfully I can appreciate either for what they offer.
Last quick thing on the MM-500’s clamp: Sometimes when I am adjusting them I swear I get a suction release from my right ear! It makes me lol because I’m like…damn really? I can appreciate Audeze explaining why they have a tighter clamp on a headphone for a strong seal and full sense of bass. Just as long as its not so clampy that it compresses the pads too much to actually loose some bass.
hmm…
About the clamp force, maybe there were some really big heads at CanJam Chicago who tried the set there before you did and they stretched it out enough to make it comfortable for you.
Audeze published a video on how to bend these out to reduce the clamp force. Unlike the LCD-5, these are using steel headbands rather than carbon fiber. Hell, send them over and I’ll happily stretch them out for you on my big head
Initial…
Since I don’t have the Arya on hand any longer to A/B, this is purely from notes taken from the Arya and audio memory.
The Arya for sure are brighter in the treble. Now the SE weren’t so horrible I couldn’t stand it, but some tracks were just too hot in the treble.
The MM500 is definitely not like that. It’s smoother in the upper treble. However not as much stage as the Arya but I’m ok with that.
I think the low end was pretty close on both. Good extension and not boomy or bloated. Detail and timbre also pretty close on both so far.
Comfort to no surprise goes to the Arya. For me.
Here’s an interesting thought I had on the clamp…
Audeze I realize is standard for the large round cup shape. I have to wonder with the clamp force how a somewhat more oval shape would take. I know it won’t ever happen, but peaks my curiosity. The Aryas clamped just fine however depending on head shape could be too long and have an open, or leakage, at the bottom. I didn’t experience this but I’m sure it could happen.
Oh…good lord I’m sorry for those who wear glasses with these…at least right out of the box with no breaking in.
I have tried listening to the 500 and holding the cups slightly outward as to not break seal but to relieve pressure and I actually found the low end a bit more full. My ears almost touch the inside magnets too with the clamp…I sadly have larger ears.
As I said, I’m not giving up on these by any means. I watched the video on bending the headband but I honestly think I’d rather let it naturally happen with more listening time.
Also…I gotta wonder if the pads were slightly stiffer (minds out of the gutter!) If that also would change sound or comfort.
Lots of what ifs to figure out still. I absolutely love and appreciate the build quality over the Arya. That and a very nice cable.
I’m wondering what this 16mm size difference in the diaphragm does to the bass end of the MM-500 compared to the LCD-X? I love the LCD-X’s bass qualities of body and slam without “fakeness” or “booming”. Does the MM-500 retain every ounce of these LCD-X qualities even though the diaphragm is smaller?