Audiophiles and bedroom producers, rejoice—Audeze has just launched the LCD-S20, a closed-back planar magnetic headphone that clocks in at just $499. Yep, you read that right. This isn’t some stripped-down compromise either—Audeze packed it with their signature tech and gave it a price tag that finally brings their sound into reach for more than just Grammy winners and gear nerds with deep pockets.
Let’s break it down.
SLAM™ Technology Hits Hard
The LCD-S20 is the first headphone to feature Audeze’s new SLAM™ tech—short for Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator. It’s designed to give you those deep, tight lows without turning the rest of your mix into soup. It also boosts spatial imaging, meaning those stereo pans and 3D elements in your productions won’t get lost in translation.
Classic Audeze Engineering, No Corners Cut
These cans sport 90mm planar magnetic drivers—the same format Audeze is known for—plus their usual magic sauce: Fluxor™ magnets, Fazor™ waveguides, and Uniforce™ voice coils. The result? Rich, balanced, super-clean audio with distortion levels low enough to make most studio monitors feel insecure.
Comfort Meets Rugged Build
Weighing in at 550g, the LCD-S20 is built with a spring-steel headband, forged aluminum yokes, and tough-as-nails glass-infused nylon. The earpads are synthetic leather and click in magnetically, making them easy to swap out after marathon sessions (or one too many drops of ramen broth).
Studio-Ready by Design
It’s closed-back, which means it won’t leak into your mic during vocal tracking, and it’ll also block out enough ambient noise to keep you in the zone. Whether you’re in a treated studio or a chaotic bedroom setup next to a barking dog and a running dishwasher, it’s built to perform.
Degenerate Producer’s Take:
I’ve been side-eyeing $1K+ Audeze cans like a broke ex for years, and now they go and pull this move? $499 for studio-tier planar tech with zero compromise on vibe or sound? I’m either dreaming or about to max out a credit card. Either way, this might just be the headphone drop of the year.