In the audio world, Audeze is known as the leading exponent of planar-magnetic headphones, an advanced driver technology that produces sound in a different way to the more usual dynamic drivers found in most headphones.
Unlike a dynamic driver, planar magnetic technology uses an ultra-thin membrane that is excited by a grid of magnets to produce a sound that's dynamic and with a super-fast response that many people prefer because of its energy and dynamism. Planar magnetic has many of the advantages of regular dynamic drivers, but with the best aspects of electrostatic headphones, without the massive price premium.
Now Audeze has chalked up another first by launching the LCD-S20, its first pair of closed-back headphones using planar-magnetic drivers. By using its award-winning driver technology, Audeze has also used its patent-pending SLAM technology to increase the bass response and expand the spatial imaging of the headphones to create a sound that's more like an open-back design but with the advantages of closed-back headphones.
Why opt for closed-back headphones? Well, if you're a recording engineer or a broadcaster, you can have the subtlety and energy of planar-magnetic drivers without the sound leaking out and disturbing others or being picked up by a microphone. It also means you get the advantages of planar-magnetic technology when out and about without being disturbed by external noise like traffic or other distractions.
At $499, the new LCD-S20 are Audeze's most affordable LCD headphones, bringing the benefits of planar-magnetic technology to producers, musicians and audiophiles who need acoustic isolation.
The acronym SLAM stands for Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator. It's a technology that Audeze introduced with its flagship CRBN2 electrostatic headphones in 2024. SLAM uses precisely tuned acoustic channels to selectively enhance low frequencies and enable more linear and accurate diaphragm movement.
For the first time, SLAM is available on a pair of planar-magnetic headphones and the result is a richer, more lifelike low end, which Audeze says brings more accurate detail for precise soundstage presentation compared to similar closed-back headphones. What this means in practice is these closed-back headphones sound more like the best pair of open-back headphones, thanks to a wider and airier soundstage as well as a frequency range of 10Hz to 40kHz.
"With the LCD-S20, we're bringing Audeze's renowned studio-quality sound to a broader audience without compromising on innovation or performance. The integration of our SLAM technology is a leap forward in both audio fidelity and user experience," says Audeze's CEO, Sankar Thiagasamudram.
"LCD-S20 is not just an entry point into the Audeze family; it's a testament to our commitment to making world-class audio accessible to everyone, from budding musicians to seasoned audiophiles," he adds.
Audeze has designed the LCD-S20 for long-term user comfort and convenience. There are supple and supportive user-replaceable synthetic leather ear pads and a head strap that distributes the weight of the headphones.
The LCD-S20 are the first Audeze headphone to use a new magnetic earpad attachment mechanism that enables users to quickly and easily swap or replace their earpads. In addition, the LCD-S20 have a detachable single-sided cable that users can connect to either the left or right earcup to have the cable position that suits their taste.
Built around the proven Audeze chassis, which we first saw on the popular Audeze Maxwell gaming headset, the LCD-S20 also feature a spring-steel headband and forged aluminum yokes with high-strength and glass-infused nylon parts. The ear cups are wrapped in a woven cloth to give them a robust finish.
The 90mm planar magnetic drivers used in the LCD-S20 are assembled in Audeze's Southern California factory and include the company's patented innovations, such as Fluxor magnets, Fazor waveguides, plus Uniforce voice coils, which help ensure accurate, ultra-low distortion sound.
Innovation is a word that's often misused, but the LCD-S20 with their combination of Audeze planar-magnetic drivers and SLAM technology with a groundbreaking closed-back design makes these headphones genuinely innovative by bringing together the sophistication of planar-magnetic sound in a closed-back design that sounds like a premium open-back pair of headphones.
The Audeze LCD-S20 planar-magnetic headphones with SLAM technology are available now from the Audeze website and are priced at $499.