Closer Examination

We've seen this cable before and I am happy to see it again. This is the standard Audeze LCD cable that is one of the better stock headphones cables in use even today. The specific version we get with the MM-500 is a single-ended cable with a 1/4" (6.35 mm, Audeze also provides a 6.35 to 3.5 mm adapter) stereo TRS plug that is gold-plated for oxidation resistance on one end and has a substantially sized housing through which we see the relatively thick 20 AWG (0.8 mm diameter) 99.9999% OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) rated copper of large single crystal size for a lower number of electron hopping steps, which reduces macroscopic electrical resistance. Four braided strands separate into two each past the in-line splitter and then go on to the output connector housing where we see more sheathing added for protection and to mark the left (black) and right (red) channels. The connectors on the headphones are 4-pin mini-XLR, which is a deliberate choice that has worked well for Audeze in the past ~15 years. The 4-pin design makes for a reliable and sturdy connector with a locking mechanism that prevents it from working loose, as well as the flexibility to switch to, say, a balanced 4-pin XLR cable rather than the 1/4" TRS plug. There are plenty of aftermarket cable offerings in addition to first-party upgrade cables, should you so desire.


I told you the Audeze MM-500 was going to remind you of the LCD-5, and now all these pictures are here to back up said statement. Gone is the older LCD-style headband and yoke system, with the MM-500 going for a simpler setup that involves a headband with two holes on the end to fit the yoke rods that are connected to the ear cups. In fact, this could almost trick people into thinking it is the LCD-5 were it not for the part where the carbon fiber headband is replaced by spring steel and the ear cups are aluminium instead of the tortoise-shell design acetate composition. The MM-500 naturally costs less than the flagship LCD-5, hence we get less premium materials and not as significant a weight decrease compared to, say, the LCD-X. The MM-500 does look cleaner and more subtle though, with its black and gunmetal gray finish (that has a slight green hue to it). Note also the MM branding on the top of the headband, as well as the cutout to aid in some mass savings. We also get a leather support and suspension band here which, in typical Audeze fashion, stretches horizontally as you place these headphones over your head and then provides support. I wish this was ventilated as with the LCD-5 support band instead of more branding though. The steel headband and leather support band come together at the aluminium frame, which has hex screws secure them in place, as well as an "L" or "R" marking to help identify the left and right sides, respectively.


The aluminium yoke rods can potentially look like antennas on your head, and they are capped by a threaded insert at the top. Notches are cut uniformly along the length of these rods, and these help with sizing the headband by moving it up or down as needed through these discrete steps. Having seen this system used on the LCD-5 before, I am confident there is enough leeway here to be used with heads small and large alike.


The yoke rods and ear-cup design come together to allow significant horizontal rotation, including allowing the ear cups fold flat for easier transportation or simply resting on your desk between listening sessions. The swivel also makes for a more comfortable fit of the ear cups over your ears, and two additional pivot points courtesy the C-shaped clamps add some inward and outward rotation for three-axis motion thus; these degrees of freedom make it easy to get a secure fit and seal with the Audeze MM-500.


I always appreciated Audeze's grilles on its open-back headphones, and the MM-500 does not disappoint either. This is an evolved take on the older, simpler A-cutout grill the LCD headphones got, and is basically the same in aesthetics as the LCD-5 again. There is further branding with Manny's name on the bottom, and the metal mesh underneath is sparkly and catches the eye easily. Another thing common with other Audeze headphones is the use of adhesive-attached ear pads, making it less user-friendly to replace/swap the pads. Audeze's reasoning continues to be the same—no compromise on the sound signature and achieving a good seal, including removing any sound leakage between the ear cups and ear pads. As a result of the adhesive-bonded pads, I am also refraining from removing them for a closer look at the drivers. That said, we can see the magnets through the thin dust cover on the ear-side and also that these ear pads have plenty of space inside for your ears and more contact surface on the side of your head while still being contoured with the thicker part on the back.


On the bottom of the ear cups, placed on the back and angled towards the front, is where we find small cutouts for the cable connectors. These have the cable plugs connect easily enough, which naturally directs the cables away from your body and comfortably sets them down at the splitter on your chest, or a desk when sitting down. The Audeze MM-500 has dual mini-XLR connectors on the ear cups, which follow a more typical layout to increase compatibility with aftermarket cables even if it's not as common as the likes of those going with 3.5 mm TRS connectors. With the two wires meeting centrally at the splitter and moving to the source, weight balance is still centrally placed as it then heads to the source. The cable is about average in length at 1.9 m, which works well to be used with desktop-class sources but is less conducive to portable use even with a powerful enough portable DAC/amp. I will say that the combination of the MM-500 with this stock cable makes for a fairly minimalist looking personal audio setup, especially for someone who doesn't like flashy gear. Also, for those wondering, the MM-500 does not have any issues with the mini-XLR connectors coming out of the sockets as with some of the earliest LCD-5 units.